(Urbino 1483–1520 Rome)
The Holy Family with Saint Elisabeth and the Infant Saint John the Baptist (The Madonna of Divine Love),
oil on panel, 140 x 107.5 cm, framed

Provenance:
Casa Casali, Bologna;
purchased by George John, second Earl Spencer (1758–1834) in Italy, 1782;
Earl Spencer, Althorp House, Northamptonshire;
sale, Phillips, London, 7 July 1992, lot 21 (as Innocenzo da Imola);
Private collection, Switzerland

Literature:
possibly G. Vasari, Vite de più eccellenti Pittori Scultori e Architetti, vol. IV, Florence 1762, pp. 116-117 (as a copy of Raphael’s painting for Lionello da Carpi, made by Innocenzo da Imola in Bologna);
T. F. Dibdin, The Bibliographical Decameron; or, Ten Days Pleasant Discourse upon Illuminated Manuscripts and subjects connected with Early Engravings, Typography and Bibliography, London 1818, mentioned on p. 389;
T. F. Dibdin, Aedes Althorpianae. An Account of the Mansion, Books and Pictures, at Althorp; the Residence of George John Earl Spencer, K.G., London 1822, p. 24 (as Raphael);
G. Baker, History and Antiquities of the County of Northampton, vol. I, London 1822–30, p. 112 (as Raphael);
J. D. Passavant, Rafael von Urbino und sein Vater Giovanni Santi, vol. II, Leipzig 1839, p. 148 (as probably the copy by Innocenzo da Imola made in Bologna according to Vasari);
Catalogue of the Pictures at Althorp House in the County of Northampton, Althorp 1851, no. 83 (as Raphael);
G. F. Waagen, Treasures of Art in Great Britain, London 1854, vol. III, p. 455 (as the painting by Innocenzo da Imola according to Vasari);
L. Dussler, Raphael: A critical catalogue of his pictures, wall-paintings and tapestries, London 1971, p. 49 (under copies);
K. J. Garlick, A catalogue of pictures at Althorp, Walpole Society, vol. 45, 1974–1976, p. 65, no. 509 (83) (as After Raphael);
M. Faietti, La Sacra Famiglia per Lionello Da Carpi in: F. Valli, M. Armaioli (eds.) L’Estasi Di Santa Cecilia Di Raffaello Da Urbino Nella Pinacoteca Nazionale Di Bologna, exhibition catalogue, Bologna 1983, p. 312 (as the copy of Innocenzo da Imola mentioned by Vasari;
D. Ferriani, Innocenzo Francucci detto da Imola, in: Pittura bolognese del ’500, vol. I, Bologna 1986, mentioned on p. 61 (as the copy of Innocenzo da Imola mentioned by Vasari);
J. Meyer zur Capellen, Raphael: The Paintings, vol. II, The Roman Religious Paintings, ca. 1508–1520, Münster 2005, p. 250, under copies, no. A8/II.1 (as by Innocenzo da Imola?);
O. Orsi, in: J. Bentini/G. P. Cammarota/D. Scaglietti Kelescian (eds.), Pinacoteca Nazionale di Bologna, Catalogo generale, 2. Da Raffaello ai Carracci, Venice 2006, p. 73, under no. 49 (as the copy of Innocenzo da Imola mentioned by Vasari);
M. Faietti, Parmigianino ‘alter Raphael’, in: M. Faietti (ed.), Raffaello, Parmigianino, Barocci, metafore dello sguardo, exhibition catalogue, Rome 2015, mentioned on p. 71 (as the copy of Innocenzo da Imola mentioned by Vasari)

Technical analysis by Gianluca Poldi:

The panel is thick, perhaps a little thinned on the back, where the original horizontal crosspieces were removed. A few old wormholes can be seen on the verso. Small integrations can be seen by UV fluorescence and IR. IR reflectography doesn’t reveal any change, but a thin accurate underdrawing that outlines the figures and details the folds, made with a thin brush. No pouncing mark can be noticed under the painting layer, no squaring, but we can suspect the transfer from a cartoon was accurately erased after the painter went over it with the brush.