In the early 19th century, Madonna of the Pinks was one of the highlights of the Camuccini collection in Rome, where it gained admiration from collectors and connoisseurs. The painting's journey to England began when the 4th Duke of Northumberland purchased it in 1853 for Alnwick Castle, where it remained for decades. During this period, its attribution to Raphael was questioned, but it regained prominence after an art historian named Giovanni Battista Longhena identified it as a Raphael original in his 1829 book on the artist.
In 1991, Nicholas Penny, a curator at London’s National Gallery, reexamined the painting, identifying it as an authentic Raphael masterpiece. Penny’s assessment was published in the Burlington Magazine that same year, stirring renewed interest in the artwork. Recognizing its immense cultural value, the National Gallery took steps to prevent the painting from being sold to the Getty Museum in Los Angeles. In 2004, the gallery successfully purchased it from the Duke of Northumberland’s family for £35 million, securing it as part of the UK’s national heritage.
Today, the Madonna of the Pinks holds a prominent place in the National Gallery, celebrated as one of Raphael’s most intimate and delicate works, embodying the spirit of the High Renaissance. It remains a national treasure and a symbol of cultural preservation.
History of Painting: Madonna of the Pinks by Raphael
