The Holy Family with a Lamb

Raphael painted The Holy Family with a Lamb in 1507, early in his career. The infant Jesus sits astride a lamb while Mary steadies him and Joseph watches from behind. The lamb prefigures Christ's sacrificial role, while the intimate family scene emphasizes Jesus's humanity.

This small devotional painting demonstrates Raphael's graceful composition and tender characterization. The figures form a stable pyramid, a Renaissance convention for conveying harmony. The soft landscape behind them recalls both Leonardo's atmospheric backgrounds and Perugino's gentle Umbrian hills.

Despite its modest size, this painting influenced countless later depictions of the Holy Family. The Prado displays it as an early work by one of art's most beloved painters.