La Belle Jardinière, also known as the Madonna and Child with Saint John the Baptist, is a painting started by the Italian High Renaissance artist Raphael, and finished by Ridolfo del Ghirlandaio, that depicts the Madonna, a young Christ, and a young John the Baptist.

Many art historians believe that this painting is the peak of Raphael's achievements and one of his strongest pieces from his Florentine phase.

Raphael used a unified naturalistic composition with rich and luminous colors and blended light and shadows to help create a highly realistic atmosphere.

[2] She has a protective arm around Christ as he looks up at her while standing on one of her feet, showing a sense of dependency and childlike trust.

[4] The way Raphael composed the painting creates a sense of intimacy between Mary and Christ, with John the Baptist as witness.

Raphael studied the works of Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo Buonarroti, and Fra Bartolommeo while in Florence.

He traded his use of stiff compositions that were popular during his Umbrian phase in favor of a newer style influenced by his study of these other artist.