Venus extracting a thorn from her foot

The composition of this roundel follows that of an engraving of circa 1515-1527 by Marco Dente (fig. 1). The design derives from a series of frescos by Raphael, produced for Cardinal Bibbiena's Stufetta in the Vatican, although the related fresco no longer survives. The engraving's rich and varied landscape was not part of Raphael's original composition but instead draws inspiration from the landscapes of Albrecht Dürer. By contrast, however, the landscape of the present painting is more Italianate and restrained.