岩窟の聖母
For this painting, as well as in others such as the "Madonna of the Goldfinch", Raphael followed the techniques of Leonardo da Vinci (who was also in Florence at the time) in blocking its subjects in pyramidal form; this can be observed in such works as Leonardo's "Virgin of the Rocks". A red-chalk composition study, one of many preparatory drawings for the painting made by Raphael, is in the Metropolitan Museum of Art.