Rafael Santi. Raphael's Stanzas: Stanza della Segnatura and Stanza d'Eliodoro

Raphael (actually Raffaello Santi or Sanzio, Raffaello Santi, Sanzio) (March 26 or 28, 1483, Urbino - April 6, 1520, Rome), Italian painter and architect.

Raphael, the son of the painter Giovanni Santi, spent his early years in Urbino. In 1500-1504, Raphael, according to Vasari, studied with the artist Perugino in Perugia.

From 1504, Raphael worked in Florence, where he became acquainted with the works of Leonardo da Vinci and Fra Bartolommeo, and studied anatomy and scientific perspective.
Moving to Florence played a huge role in Raphael's creative development. Of primary importance for the artist was familiarity with the method of the great Leonardo da Vinci.

Following Leonardo, Raphael begins to work a lot from life, studying anatomy, mechanics of movements, complex poses and angles, looking for compact, rhythmically balanced compositional formulas.
The numerous images of Madonnas he created in Florence brought the young artist all-Italian fame.
Raphael received an invitation from Pope Julius II to Rome, where he was able to become more familiar with ancient monuments and took part in archaeological excavations. Having moved to Rome, the 26-year-old master received the position of “artist of the Apostolic See” and the assignment to paint the state rooms of the Vatican Palace, from 1514 he directed the construction of St. Peter’s Cathedral, worked in the field of church and palace architecture, in 1515 he was appointed Commissioner of Antiquities, responsible for the study and protection of ancient monuments, archaeological excavations. Fulfilling the pope's order, Raphael created murals in the halls of the Vatican, glorifying the ideals of freedom and earthly happiness of man, the limitlessness of his physical and spiritual capabilities.

The painting “Madonna Conestabile” by Rafael Santi was created by the artist at the age of twenty.

In this painting, the young artist Raphael created his first remarkable embodiment of the image of the Madonna, which occupied an extremely important place in his art. The image of a young beautiful mother, generally so popular in Renaissance art, is especially close to Raphael, whose talent had a lot of softness and lyricism.

Unlike the masters of the 15th century, new qualities emerged in the paintings of the young artist Raphael Santi, when a harmonious compositional structure does not constrain the images, but, on the contrary, is perceived as a necessary condition for the feeling of naturalness and freedom that they generate.

Holy family

1507-1508. Alte Pinakothek, Munich.

Painting by artist Raphael Santi “The Holy Family” by Canigiani.

The customer of the work is Domenico Canigianini from Florence. In the painting “The Holy Family”, the great Renaissance painter Raphael Santi depicted the Holy Family in the classical vein of biblical history - the Virgin Mary, Joseph, the baby Jesus Christ along with St. Elizabeth and the baby John the Baptist.

However, only in Rome did Raphael overcome the dryness and some stiffness of his early portraits. It was in Rome that Raphael's brilliant talent as a portrait painter reached maturity.

In Raphael’s “Madonnas” of the Roman period, the idyllic mood of his early works is replaced by the recreation of deeper human, maternal feelings, as Mary, full of dignity and spiritual purity, appears as the intercessor of humanity in Raphael’s most famous work - “The Sistine Madonna”.

The painting “The Sistine Madonna” by Raphael Santi was originally created by the great painter as an altar image for the church of San Sisto (St. Sixtus) in Piacenza.

In the painting, the artist depicts the Virgin Mary with the Christ Child, Pope Sixtus II and Saint Barbara. The painting “The Sistine Madonna” is one of the most famous works of world art.

How was the image of the Madonna created? Was there a real prototype for it? In this regard, a number of ancient legends are associated with the Dresden painting. Researchers find similarities in the Madonna's facial features with the model of one of Raphael's female portraits - the so-called “Lady in the Veil”. But in resolving this issue, first of all, one should take into account the famous statement of Raphael himself from a letter to his friend Baldassare Castiglione that in creating the image of perfect female beauty he is guided by a certain idea, which arises on the basis of many impressions from the beauties the artist saw in life. In other words, the basis of the creative method of the painter Raphael Santi is the selection and synthesis of observations of reality.

In the last years of his life, Raphael was so overloaded with orders that he entrusted the execution of many of them to his students and assistants (Giulio Romano, Giovanni da Udine, Perino del Vaga, Francesco Penni and others), usually limiting himself to general supervision of the works.

Raphael had a huge influence on the subsequent development of Italian and European painting, becoming, along with the masters of antiquity, the highest example of artistic perfection. The art of Raphael, which had a tremendous influence on European painting of the 16th-19th and, partly, 20th centuries, for centuries retained the meaning of indisputable artistic authority and model for artists and viewers.

In the last years of his creative work, based on the artist’s drawings, his students created huge cardboards on biblical themes with episodes from the life of the apostles. Based on these cardboards, Brussels masters were supposed to create monumental tapestries that were intended to decorate the Sistine Chapel on holidays.

Paintings by Rafael Santi

The painting “Angel” by Raphael Santi was created by the artist at the age of 17-18 at the very beginning of the 16th century.

This magnificent early work by the young artist is part or fragment of the Baroncha altarpiece, damaged by the 1789 earthquake. The altarpiece “Coronation of Blessed Nicholas of Tolentino, conqueror of Satan” was commissioned by Andrea Baronci for his home chapel in the church of San Agostinho in Citta de Castello. In addition to the fragment of the painting “Angel”, three more parts of the altar have been preserved: “The Most High Creator” and “The Blessed Virgin Mary” in the Capodimonte Museum (Naples) and another fragment “Angel” in the Louvre (Paris).

The painting “Madonna Granduca” was painted by the artist Rafael Santi after moving to Florence.

The numerous images of Madonnas created by the young artist in Florence (“Madonna of Granduca”, “Madonna of the Goldfinch”, “Madonna of the Greens”, “Madonna with the Child Christ and John the Baptist” or “The Beautiful Gardener” and others) brought Raphael Santi all-Italian fame.

The painting “The Dream of a Knight” was painted by the artist Rafael Santi in the early years of his work.

The painting is from Borghese’s legacy, probably paired with another work by the artist, “The Three Graces.” These paintings - "The Dream of a Knight" and "The Three Graces" - are almost miniature in composition size.

The theme of “The Knight’s Dream” is a unique refraction of the ancient myth of Hercules at the crossroads between the allegorical embodiments of Valor and Pleasure. Near the young knight, depicted sleeping against the backdrop of a beautiful landscape, stand two young women. One of them, in formal attire, offers him a sword and a book, the other a branch with flowers.

In the painting “The Three Graces” the very compositional motif of three naked female figures is apparently borrowed from an antique cameo. And although there is still a lot of uncertainty in these works of the artist (“The Three Graces” and “The Dream of a Knight”), they attract with their naive charm and poetic purity. Already here some features inherent in Raphael’s talent were revealed - the poetry of images, a sense of rhythm and the soft melodiousness of lines.

Battle of St. George with the Dragon

1504-1505. Louvre Museum, Paris.

The painting “The Battle of St. George with the Dragon” by Raphael Santi was painted by the artist in Florence, after he left Perugia.

“The Battle of St. George with the Dragon” is based on a biblical story popular in the Middle Ages and the Renaissance.

The altarpiece “Madonna of Ansidei” by Raphael Santi was painted by the artist in Florence; the young painter was not yet 25 years old.

Unicorn, a mythical animal with the body of a bull, horse or goat and one long straight horn on its forehead.

The unicorn is a symbol of purity and virginity. According to legend, only an innocent girl can tame the ferocious unicorn. The painting “Lady with a Unicorn” was painted by Rafael Santi based on a mythological plot popular during the Renaissance and mannerism, which many artists used in their paintings.

The painting “Lady with a Unicorn” was badly damaged in the past, but has now been partially restored.

Painting by Raphael Santi “Madonna in Greenery” or “Mary and Child and John the Baptist”.

In Florence, Raphael created the Madonna cycle, indicating the onset of a new stage in his work. Belonging to the most famous of them, “Madonna of the Greens” (Vienna, Museum), “Madonna with the Goldfinch” (Uffizi) and “Madonna of the Gardener” (Louvre) represent a kind of variants of a common motif - the image of a young beautiful mother with the child Christ and little John the Baptist against the backdrop of a landscape. These are also variations of one theme - the theme of maternal love, bright and serene.

Altarpiece painting "Madonna di Foligno" by Raphael Santi.

In the 1510s, Raphael worked a lot in the field of altar composition. A number of his works of this kind, including the Madonna di Foligno, lead us to the greatest creation of his easel painting - the Sistine Madonna. This painting was created in 1515-1519 for the Church of St. Sixtus in Piacenza and is now in the Dresden Art Gallery.

The painting “Madonna di Foligno” in its compositional structure is similar to the famous “Sistine Madonna”, with the only difference that in the painting “Madonna di Foligno” there are more characters and the image of the Madonna is distinguished by a kind of internal isolation - her gaze is occupied with her child - the Christ Child .

The painting “Madonna del Impannata” by Rafael Santi was created by the great painter almost at the same time as the famous “Sistine Madonna”.

In the painting, the artist depicts the Virgin Mary with the children Christ and John the Baptist, Saint Elizabeth and Saint Catherine. The painting “Madonna del Impannata” testifies to the further improvement of the artist’s style, to the complication of images in comparison with the soft lyrical images of his Florentine Madonnas.

The mid-1510s were the time of Raphael's best portrait work.

Castiglione, Count Baldassare (Castiglione; 1478-1526) - Italian diplomat and writer. Born near Mantua, he served at various Italian courts, was the ambassador of the Duke of Urbino in the 1500s for Henry VII of England, and from 1507 in France for King Louis XII. In 1525, already at a fairly advanced age, he was sent by the papal nuncio to Spain.

In this portrait, Raphael showed himself to be an outstanding colorist, able to sense color in its complex shades and tonal transitions. The portrait of the Lady in the Veil differs from the portrait of Baldassare Castiglione in its remarkable coloristic qualities.

Researchers of the work of the artist Raphael Santi and historians of Renaissance painting find in the features of the model of this female portrait of Raphael a resemblance to the face of the Virgin Mary in his famous painting “The Sistine Madonna.”

Joan of Aragon

1518 Louvre Museum, Paris.

The customer of the painting is Cardinal Bibbiena, writer and secretary to Pope Leo X; the painting was intended as a gift to the French king Francis I. The portrait was only begun by the artist, and it is not known for certain which of his students (Giulio Romano, Francesco Penni or Perino del Vaga) completed it.

Joanna of Aragon (? -1577) - daughter of the Neapolitan king Federigo (later deposed), wife of Ascanio, Prince Taliacosso, famous for her beauty.

The extraordinary beauty of Joan of Aragon was glorified by contemporary poets in a number of poetic dedications, the collection of which comprised an entire volume, published in Venice

The artist’s painting depicts a classic version of the biblical chapter from the Revelation of John the Theologian or the Apocalypse.
“And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought against them, but they did not stand, and there was no longer a place for them in heaven. And the great dragon was cast out, that ancient serpent, called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world, he was cast out to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him...”

Frescoes by Raphael

The fresco by artist Raphael Santi “Adam and Eve” also has another name - “The Fall”.

The size of the fresco is 120 x 105 cm. Raphael painted the fresco “Adam and Eve” on the ceiling of the pontiff’s chambers.

The fresco by artist Raphael Santi “The School of Athens” also has another name - “Philosophical Conversations”. The size of the fresco, the length of the base is 770 cm. After moving to Rome in 1508, Raphael was entrusted with painting the pope's apartments - the so-called stanzas (that is, rooms), which include three rooms on the second floor of the Vatican Palace and the adjacent hall. The general ideological program of the fresco cycles in the stanzas, as conceived by the customers, was supposed to serve to glorify the authority of the Catholic Church and its head - the Roman high priest.

Along with allegorical and biblical images, individual frescoes depict episodes from the history of the papacy; some compositions include portrait images of Julius II and his successor Leo X.

The customer of the painting “The Triumph of Galatea” is Agostino Chigi, a banker from Siena; The fresco was painted by the artist in the banquet hall of the villa.

Raphael Santi's fresco "The Triumph of Galatea" depicts the beautiful Galatea swiftly moving through the waves on a shell drawn by dolphins, surrounded by newts and naiads.

In one of the first frescoes executed by Raphael, the Dispute, which depicts a conversation about the sacrament of the sacrament, cult motifs were most prominent. The symbol of communion itself - the host (wafer) - is installed on the altar in the center of the composition. The action takes place on two planes - on earth and in heaven. Below, on a stepped dais, the church fathers, popes, prelates, clergy, elders and youths were located on both sides of the altar.

Among other participants here you can recognize Dante, Savonarola, and the pious monk-painter Fra Beato Angelico. Above the entire mass of figures in the lower part of the fresco, like a heavenly vision, the personification of the Trinity appears: God the Father, below him, in a halo of golden rays, is Christ with the Mother of God and John the Baptist, even lower, as if marking the geometric center of the fresco, is a dove in sphere, a symbol of the holy spirit, and on the sides the apostles are seated on floating clouds. And all this huge number of figures, with such a complex compositional design, is distributed with such skill that the fresco leaves an impression of amazing clarity and beauty.

Prophet Isaiah

1511-1512. San Agostinho, Rome.

Raphael's fresco depicts the great biblical prophet of the Old Testament at the moment of revelation of the coming of the Messiah. Isaiah (9th century BC), Hebrew prophet, zealous champion of the religion of Yahweh and denouncer of idolatry. The biblical Book of the Prophet Isaiah bears his name.

One of the four great Old Testament prophets. For Christians, Isaiah’s prophecy about the Messiah (Immanuel; ch. 7, 9 - “...behold, the Virgin will be with child and give birth to a Son, and they will call his name Immanuel”) is of particular significance. The memory of the prophet is revered in the Orthodox Church on May 9 (May 22), in the Catholic Church on July 6.

Frescoes and last paintings of Raphael

The fresco “The Deliverance of the Apostle Peter from Prison,” which depicts the miraculous release of the Apostle Peter from prison by an angel (an allusion to the release of Pope Leo X from French captivity when he was papal legate), makes a very strong impression.

On the ceiling lamps of the papal apartments - Stanza della Segnatura, Raphael painted the frescoes “The Fall”, “The Victory of Apollo over Marsyas”, “Astronomy” and a fresco on the famous Old Testament story “The Judgment of Solomon”.
It is difficult to find in the history of art any other artistic ensemble that would give the impression of such figurative richness in terms of ideological and visual-decorative design as Raphael’s Vatican stanzas. Walls covered with multi-figure frescoes, vaulted ceilings with rich gilded decor, with fresco and mosaic inserts, a beautifully patterned floor - all this could create the impression of overload, if not for the high orderliness inherent in the general design of Raphael Santi, which brings to this complex artistic complex necessary clarity and visibility.

Until the last years of his life, Raphael paid great attention to monumental painting. One of the artist’s largest works was the painting of the Villa Farnesina, which belonged to the richest Roman banker Chigi.

In the early 1910s, Raphael painted the fresco “The Triumph of Galatea” in the main hall of this villa, which is one of his best works.

Myths about Princess Psyche tell about the desire of the human soul to merge with love. For her indescribable beauty, people revered Psyche more than Aphrodite. According to one version, a jealous goddess sent her son, the deity of love Cupid, to arouse in the girl a passion for the ugliest of people, however, when he saw the beauty, the young man lost his head and forgot about his mother’s order. Having become the husband of Psyche, he did not allow her to look at him. She, burning with curiosity, lit a lamp at night and looked at her husband, not noticing a hot drop of oil falling on his skin, and Cupid disappeared. In the end, by the will of Zeus, the lovers united. Apuleius in Metamorphoses retells the myth of the romantic story of Cupid and Psyche; the wanderings of the human soul, eager to meet its love.

The painting depicts Fornarina, the lover of Rafael Santi, whose real name is Margherita Luti. Fornarina's real name was established by researcher Antonio Valeri, who discovered it in a manuscript from a Florentine library and in a list of nuns of a monastery, where the novice was identified as the widow of the artist Raphael.

Fornarina is the legendary lover and model of Raphael, whose real name is Margherita Luti. According to many Renaissance art critics and historians of the artist’s work, Fornarina is depicted in two famous paintings by Rafael Santi - “Fornarina” and “The Veiled Lady.” It is also believed that Fornarina, in all likelihood, served as a model for the creation of the image of the Virgin Mary in the painting “The Sistine Madonna”, as well as some other female images of Raphael.

Transfiguration of Christ

1519-1520. Pinacoteca Vatican, Rome.

The painting was originally created as an altarpiece for the Cathedral of Narbonne, commissioned by Cardinal Giulio Medici, Bishop of Narbonne. The contradictions of the last years of Raphael’s work were most reflected in the huge altar composition “The Transfiguration of Christ” - it was completed after Raphael’s death by Giulio Romano.

This picture is divided into two parts. The upper part shows the actual transformation - this more harmonious part of the picture was done by Raphael himself. Below are the apostles trying to heal a possessed boy

It was Raphael Santi’s altar painting “The Transfiguration of Christ” that became an indisputable model for academic painters for centuries.
Raphael died in 1520. His premature death was unexpected and made a deep impression on his contemporaries.

Raphael Santi deservedly ranks among the greatest masters of the High Renaissance.

Stanzas of Raphael. Great Legacy

One of the main attractions of Rome, included in
Vatican Museum complex, includes four rooms,
painted by the great artist together with his talented
students in the period from 1508 to 1524. "Raphael's Stanzas" translated
from Italian it means “Raphael’s rooms” (la stanza-room).

"Christ hands St. Peter the keys to heaven." Rafael Santi. 1515

One of the first and largest works of Rafael Santi
in Rome the artistic painting of the papal apartments began.

"Portrait of Pope Julius II" Rafael Santi. 1512

Giuliano della Rovere, being elected Pope under
named after Julius II, refused to use it as a personal residence
apartments where Pope Alexander VI Borzhdia previously lived.

Separating land from water. Fresco of the Loggia by Raphael
Palace of the Pontiff in the Vatican. 1519

Julius II chose several spacious rooms on the second floor
Apostolic Palace and hired famous artists to work
over the decorative design of the premises. Among those involved
masters were Bramante, Baldassare Peruzzi, Lorenzo Lotto,
and even Pietro Perugino - one of Raphael's first teachers.

Saint Paul preaches in Athens. Rafael Santi. 1515

By the way, painting the ceiling of one of the rooms I worked on
Perugino, did not please the Pontiff so much that he barely
Having seen the master’s work, he ordered it to be washed off immediately. In the same way
Julius II did not appreciate the efforts of the other artists involved.

Meeting of Jacob with Rachel. Fresco of the Loggia by Raphael II
floors of the Pontiff's Palace in the Vatican. 1519

According to Vasari, it was Bramante, who was at that time
moment the chief architect of St. Peter's Basilica, advised
invite the young and little-known Raphael to perform
assigned task. Satisfied with the first results of the work
talented artist, Julius II completely entrusted
Santi painted the apartments, ordering complete removal
works of previous masters.

Stanza della Segnatura. Fresco Parnassus. Fragment
Apollo and the Muses. Rafael Santi. 1511

Stanza della Segnatura

The name of the room comes from the location
above the Court of the Holy See, called the “Signature
Justice and Mercy." For many years this hall
used by the Pope for holding various types of meetings.

"The Triumph of Galatea". Rafael Santi. 1517

"Stanza della Segnatura" was the first room above which
Raphael worked. Luxurious paintings decorating the walls
rooms represent allegorical images
theology, philosophy, jurisprudence and poetry, components,
according to the author, the basis of human society.

“Stanza della Segnatura. Fresco Parnassus. Fragment - Sappho" 1511

Love and kindness are born along with religion, philosophy gives
Poetry and art give reason to man, beauty, and justice
may triumph through justice. This topic
decorative design of the room suggests that
that it was originally intended to place either a worker here
the Pontiff's office, or his personal library, even if
no documentary evidence of this has been found.

Stanza d'Eliodoro. Fresco "The Expulsion of Eliodorus"
from the temple." Rafael Santi. 1514

Stanza di Eliodoro

In 1511, having finished painting the first room, Raphael began
to create sketches for the frescoes of the next room,
intended for papal audiences.

“Stanza d'Eliodoro. Fresco Liberation of the Saint
Petra. Fragment - An angel leads St. Peter out” 1514

At this time, Pope Julius II had just returned to Rome after
destructive military campaign against the French, which
ended for the Holy See with the loss of Bologna and created
the threat of invasion of foreign troops on the peninsula.

“Stanza d'Eliodoro. Hall ceiling painting
Palace of the Pontiff in the Vatican" 1514

Political instability prompted Raphael to create
a cycle of frescoes telling about the protection that God can give
through the Christian faith and the Church. Submitted stories
talk about some historical events and related
miracles that happened. Painting "Elodoro's Rooms"
lasted from 1511 to 1514.

“Jacob's Dream (Jacob's Ladder). Loggia fresco
Raphael's Palace of the Pontiff in the Vatican" 1519

Stanza del Incendio di Borgo

The last of four rooms, the decorative design of which
Rafael was directly involved. Most of the work
the maestro entrusted the artistic painting of the hall to his students,
among whom were Giulio Romano, Giovanni Francesco Panni,
Giovanni da Udine and some others.

"The Fall of Jesus on the Road to Calvary." Rafael Santi. 1517

He himself was involved in the implementation of other projects, in particular,
large-scale project for the construction of St. Peter's Basilica,
being appointed to the position of chief architect of the cathedral.

Rafael Santi. "Holy Family with Saints Elizabeth
and John (Madonna Canigiani). Fragment" 1508

"Stanza del Incendio di Borgo" was intended to hold
lunches. The subjects taken as the basis for the compositions of the frescoes have
relation to real events from the history of the Holy See.

"Madonna under the canopy." Rafael Santi. 1507

Raphael began work on creating sketches for the dining room
in 1513, shortly after the coronation of Pope Leo X. Admiring more
early works of the young artist, the Pontiff wished to see
on the walls of the room there is a cycle of frescoes telling about the most
significant events in the lives of his predecessors,
in particular, Pope Leo III and Pope Leo IV.

“Fire in Borgo. Stanza del Incendio di Borgo. Rafael Santi. 1514

The most significant fresco of the third Stanza is "Fire in the Borgo"
(Incendio di Borgo), from whose name the name itself comes
rooms. The fresco tells about the events of the mid-9th century, when
There was a huge fire in Rome.

“Stanza del Incendio di Borgo. Fire in Borgo. Fragment" 1514

Borgo area (this is the name of the area near the basilica
St. Peter) was almost completely engulfed in fire.
Pope Leo IV, having sent a blessing to the Roman people, managed
miraculously stop the elements and thereby
save the city's population.

"Portrait of Pope Leo X with the Cardinals Giulio de' Medici
and Luigi Rossi. Fragment" 1518

Hall of Constantine

The fourth and last room of the famous papal
apartment is the “Constantine Hall”. Room painting
was commissioned by Raphael in 1517, but the great maestro
I only managed to prepare sketch drawings. Raphael died
in 1520 at the age of 37.

“Isaac and Rebecca are hiding from Abimelech. Fresco
Loggia Raphael of the Palace of the Pontiff in the Vatican. 1519

The frescoes were painted by students of the famous artist
- Giulio Romano, Giovanni Francesco Panni, Raffaellino
del Colle and Perin del Vaga - in the period from 1520 to 1524.
The ceiling of the hall received paintings a little later, during their creation
the Sicilian artist Tommaso Laureti worked.

"Loggia of Cardinal Bibien, frescoes of the third loggia
floors of the palace of the pontiff in the Vatican" 1516

Briefly - Raphael in numbers.

Numbers, of course, will not explain why in front of Raphael
Pontiffs, monarchs and commoners alike were in awe.
But they will help you realize how much you have accomplished in your short time.
the life of this amazing artist.

1. Raphael was 25 years old when he became official
artist of the papal court.

“Stanza d'Eliodoro. Fresco Mass in Bolsena.
Fragment - Pope Julius II" 1514

2. 13 arcades, painted with 52 frescoes on biblical subjects,
erected in the courtyard of the Vatican according to the design and sketches of Raphael.
These loggias are informally called the “Raphael Bibles.”

“The Finding of Moses or the Rescue of Moses from the Water.
Fresco of the loggia of the second floor of the palace of the pontiff in the Vatican." 1519.

3. 20 artists who painted the state rooms of the papal
palace, dismissed by Pontiff Julius II after he saw the work
Raphael "The School of Athens". In the future, “Vatican stanzas”
(from Italian stanza - room) was already painted by Raphael and his students.
By the way, one of the first teachers was among those fired
Raphael - Pietro Perugino.

Athens School. Fresco Stanza della Segnatura
Vatican Museum. Rafael Santi. 1511

4. 56 figures can be counted on the fresco “School of Athens”.
Among them are ancient Greek philosophers, many of whom Raphael
gave him the features of his contemporaries. So, for example, Plato is like
on Leonardo da Vinci, Heraclitus resembles Michelangelo,
and the artist Apelles - Raphael himself.

"Great Madonna of Cowper" 1508

5. Raphael painted more than 40 Madonnas during his short life,
but an amazingly fruitful life.

Sistine Madonna (detail with an imaginary finger)

6. Six fingers, according to the common version, are on the right
hand of Pope Sixtus II, depicted by Raphael in the painting
"Sistine Madonna". If you look closely, it becomes clear that
The “sixth finger” is part of the inner side of the palm. But
those who like to look for secret symbols continue to insist,
that Raphael thus emphasizes that this is exactly
Bishop of Rome Saint Sixtus (that is, the sixth).

“Portrait of Bindo Altoviti” 1515

7. For two years he negotiated the purchase of the “Sistine Madonna” from
Monastery in Piacenza, Elector of Saxony Augustus III. In those years
the painting was not yet so famous, but Augustus wanted to get it
to the collection of “at least some” Raphael. The monastery broke
an unprecedented price for the then art market of 25 thousand Roman scudi.

"Double portrait. Self-portrait with a friend (with Giulio Romano?)" 1517

When the parties had already agreed on the price, he intervened
Duke of Parma, who was strongly against the removal of the painting
from Italy. Augustus had to use diplomatic
communications. In the end, the deal was approved by the Pope himself, and
In 1754, the Madonna arrived in Dresden. According to legend, when
the picture was brought into the Elector's residence, he with the words
“Make way for the great Raphael!”, he himself moved his throne.

Sistine Madonna. Rafael Santi. 1513

8. I stood (or rather, sat on the sofa) for a whole hour in 1821 in
Dresden Gallery in front of the “Sistine Madonna” Vasily
Zhukovsky. It took him so long to experience
catharsis and come up with the formulation “genius of pure beauty”, which
It will later become iconic when performed by Pushkin.

“I clearly began to feel that the soul was spreading;
some touching feeling of greatness came into her;
the image was indescribable to her, and she was there,
where only in the best moments of life can be. Genius pure
beauty was with her." - Zhukovsky described his experience.

Self-portrait. Rafael Santi. 1506

9. For ten years the “Sistine Madonna” was in the USSR.
In May 1945, the Soviet military discovered her along with
other paintings in an abandoned quarry 30 kilometers away
from Dresden. After the war, the painting was kept in storage rooms
Pushkin Museum. In 1955, The Sistine Madonna was shown
Moscow public, after which she and other masterpieces of Dresden
the meetings were handed over to the GDR authorities.

Madonna with fish. Rafael Santi. 1514

11. 3000 gold - for this amount, according to popular legend,
Raphael bought his Roman lover Fornarina from her
father - baker Francesco Luti. Fornarina was a regular model
Raphael, most researchers agree that she
served as the prototype for the “Sistine Madonna” and other women’s
images created by the artist during the Roman period.

“Altar of Baglioni. Predella Theological
virtue." Raphael Santi 1507

12. 136.57 meters from the floor of the basilica to the top of the crowning
cross - this is the height of the dome of St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican.
This is the tallest dome in the world. Rafael was appointed chief
architect of the cathedral in 1514.

Head of a young apostle. Sketch for the painting
"Transfiguration" Rafael Santi. 1519

13. Sold for £29,721,250 from
Sotheby’s auction drawing by Raphael “Head of the Young Apostle”
to the painting "Transfiguration".

"Transfiguration" Rafael Santi. 1520

14. 500,000,000 euros - insurance cost of 11 works,
exhibited in 2016 at the Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts. A. S. Pushkina
at the exhibition “Raphael. Poetry of the image."

15. 500,000 Italian liras - on this banknote
Raphael's images quoted

"The Judgment of Solomon. Fresco of the loggia of Raphael's palace
pontiff in the Vatican." 1519

16. At least 6 times Pope Leo X sent to inquire
about Raphael's health during his illness, which lasted 15 days.

Rafael Santi. "Saint George and the Dragon" 1506

17. Raphael was 37 years old when he died in Rome in 1520.
Modern researchers believe that death could
occur as a result of a fever that the artist
became infected while visiting excavations.

Rafazl Santi. "Saint Catherine of Alexandria" 1507

Although the artist's contemporary Giorgio Vasari testifies,
that Raphael died "after spending some time
more slutty than usual."

Title picture: “Pope Gregory the Ninth affirms
decrees. Fragment of the fresco Stanza della Segnatura.” 1511

Stanze di Raffaello, lit. "Raphael's rooms" from stanza- room) - rooms with frescoes by Raphael in the Papal Palace of the Vatican. Four relatively small rooms (approximately 9 by 6 meters), painted in 1508-1517 by Raphael together with his students, and a hall with paintings by students after the death of Raphael according to his sketches. Each stanza (room) has four fresco compositions, each entirely occupying one wall. The paintings are distinguished by depth of concept, figurative richness and compositional clarity.

The premises already existed under Pope Nicholas V (1447-1455). Pope Julius II chose them for his apartments, not wanting to live where the shadow of the hated Borgias still hovered, that is, in the apartments of Alexander VI. On the advice of Bramante, Julius II commissioned the very young Raphael to paint the stanzas (the artist was only twenty-five years old).

Stanza della Segnatura

The most famous is the complex of frescoes in the papal study, Stanza della Segnatura. The cabinet was painted by Raphael in 1509-1511. The theme of the painting is human spiritual activity. The frescoes represent its four areas: “School of Athens” - philosophy, “Disputa” - theology, “Parnassus” - poetry and music, “Wisdom, moderation and strength” (Virtù e la Legge) - the main humanistic and Christian virtues.

The best of all the frescoes in the stanzas is considered to be “The School of Athens” - one of the greatest creations of Renaissance art in general and Raphael in particular. In the center of the composition are the figures of Aristotle and Plato. Plato (in a red cloak and with the features of Leonardo da Vinci) raises his hand to the sky - as a sign that the world of ideas is found in the upper reaches; Aristotle (in a blue cloak) points his hand down - as a sign that the world of ideas is connected with earthly experience. Other great philosophers are also represented in the fresco: Socrates (to the left of Plato), Diogenes (lying on the steps of the stairs), and in the foreground below - Pythagoras surrounded by disciples (left), Heraclitus, sitting in deep thought almost in the center (with facial features Michelangelo), Euclid, bent over, with a compass in his hands (with the facial features of Bramante), Ptolemy and Zoroaster (on the right), with whom two young men are talking (one of them with the facial features of Raphael himself, the other - the painter of Sodoma, who began to work before Raphael in this station). According to the master’s plan, imbued with the ideas of Christian Neoplatonism, such similarities were supposed to symbolize the influence and deep kinship of ancient philosophy and new theology. Raphael's signature (RSVM) is at the collar of his robe.

Fresco "Parnassus". In the center is Apollo playing the lyre da braccio. Around him are nine muses and writers - ancient, medieval and Renaissance. On the left are blind Homer, Virgil, Dante, Petrarch, Anacreon, Sappho and others, on the right are Terence, Ariosto, Ovid, Horace, Boccaccio and others.

Frescoes of the Stanza della Segnatura

Stanza del Incendio di Borgo

Stanza del Incendio di Borgo ( Stanza dell'Incendio di Borgo) - the last of the stanzas painted by Raphael (1514-1517). The themes of the paintings are taken from the history of the papacy, namely, episodes associated with Leo III and Leo IV, which made it possible to glorify Leo X, who was then on the papal throne. The best fresco of this stanza, after which it is named, is “ Fire in Borgo».

According to legend, when a fire broke out in Borgo (the area adjacent to the papal palace) in 847, Pope Leo IV miraculously stopped it by making the sign of the cross over the crowd fleeing the fire. In the depths you can see part of the Cathedral of St. Peter, and with the old facade, which still existed during Raphael’s work on the painting of the stanzas.

Last modified: October 11, 2018

One of the main attractions of Rome, part of the Vatican Museum complex, includes four rooms painted by the great artist together with his talented students between 1508 and 1524. “Raphael’s Stanzas” translated from Italian means “Raphael’s rooms” (la stanza -room).

One of the first and largest works Raphael Santi in Rome became an artistic painting of the papal apartments. Giuliano della Rovere, being elected Pope under the name Julius II, refused to use the apartment where Pope Alexander VI Borgidia had previously lived as a personal residence.

Julius II chose several spacious rooms on the second floor of the Apostolic Palace and hired famous artists to work on the decorative design of the rooms. Among the artists involved were Bramante, Baldassare Peruzzi, Lorenzo Lotto, and even Pietro Perugino, one of Raphael's first teachers. By the way, the painting of the ceiling of one of the rooms that Perugino was working on did not please the Pontiff so much that, as soon as he saw the master’s work, he ordered it to be washed off immediately. In the same way, Julius II did not appreciate the efforts of the other artists involved. According to Vasari, it was Bramante, who at that time was the chief architect of St. Peter's Basilica, who advised inviting the young and little-known Raphael to complete the task.

Satisfied with the first results of the talented artist’s work, Julius II completely entrusted Santi with the painting of the apartments, ordering the complete removal of the works of previous masters.

Stanza della Segnatura

The name of the room comes from the Court of the Holy See located above, called the “Signature of Justice and Mercy.” Over the years, this hall was used by the Pope for various types of meetings.

"Stanza della Segnatura" was the first room he worked on Raphael. The luxurious paintings decorating the walls of the room are allegorical images of theology, philosophy, law and poetry, which, according to the author, form the basis of human society. Love and kindness are born along with religion, philosophy gives a person reason, beauty is given by poetry and art, and justice can triumph through justice.

This theme of the decorative design of the room suggests that it was originally intended to house either the Pontiff’s office or his personal library, even if no documentary evidence for this was found.

Stanza di Eliodoro

In 1511, having finished painting the first room, Raphael began creating sketches for the frescoes of the next room, intended for papal audiences. At this time, Pope Julius II had just returned to Rome after a devastating military campaign against the French, which ended for the Holy See with the loss of Bologna and created the threat of an invasion of foreign troops on the peninsula. Political instability prompted Raphael to create a cycle of frescoes telling about the protection that God can give through the Christian faith and the Church. The presented stories tell about some historical events and the miracles that occurred related to them. The painting of Eliodoro's Room continued from 1511 to 1514.

Stanza del Incendio di Borgo

The last of four rooms in the decoration of which Raphael was directly involved. The maestro entrusted most of the work on the artistic painting of the hall to his students, including Giulio Romano, Giovanni Francesco Panni, Giovanni da Udine and some others. He himself was involved in the implementation of other projects, in particular, a large-scale project for the construction of St. Peter's Basilica, being appointed to the position of chief architect of the cathedral.

Hall of Constantine

The fourth and final room of the famous papal apartments is the “Hall of Constantine”. The painting of the room was commissioned from Raphael in 1517, but the great maestro only managed to prepare sketch drawings. Raphael died in 1520 at the age of 37 years. The frescoes were painted by students of the famous artist - Giulio Romano, Giovanni Francesco Panni, Raffaellino del Colle and Perin del Vaga - between 1520 and 1524. The ceiling of the hall received paintings a little later; the Sicilian artist Tommaso Laureti worked on their creation.

The life and work of Raphael Santi is closely connected with Rome; it is here that most of his works are located.

Paintings by Raphael in the Vatican Pinacoteca - “Madonna of Foligno” and “Transfiguration”

Rafael Santi - biography

Raphael Santi lived a relatively short life (1483 - 1520), he was born in Urbino in the Papal States and studied under Pietro Perugino. Raphael's early works are similar to the creations of his teacher. In 1504 - 1508, Raphael worked in Florence, and Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci also worked there during these years.

It is believed that under the influence of Leonardo, softness and ideal composition appeared in Raphael’s paintings, and from Michelangelo he took strong dynamics. However, Raphael's characters, just like Leonardo's, are self-absorbed.

Painting by Raphael Santi in Rome

Raphael returned to the theme of the Madonna and Child many times. Raphael's beautiful and feminine Madonnas are the pride of almost all major museums.

We began our acquaintance with Raphael Santi in Rome at the Vatican Pinacoteca, where several of his paintings are located at the very entrance.

In addition to paintings, Raphael painted frescoes; they can also be seen at the Villa Farnesina, as well as in the Vatican. They are also called “Raphael’s Stanzas” and Raphael’s loggias I. Tourists, as a rule, walk in a crowd past the halls painted by Raphael, straight to the Sistine Chapel, although at this point it would be worth slowing down and looking around.

Raphael also acted as an architect: during the construction of Villa Madama. After Bramante's death, he took over the position of chief architect of St. Peter's Basilica. In Rome, he also built the Chigi Chapel of the Church of Santa Maria del Popolo (1512-1520).

Liberation of Saint Peter

Loggias of Raphael

In the 80s of the 15th century, the ruins of the Golden House of Nero were discovered in Rome, in which fragments of ancient frescoes were preserved.

The frescoes made a great impression on the artists of the 15th century; they enthusiastically began to study the style in which they were made. Since the Golden House had already turned into caves, it began to be called a grotto, and the style of wall painting “grotesque”. It was in this style that Raphael decided to paint the loggias of the Belvedere courtyard.

The loggias were painted by Raphael's students and followers according to his design. In the 18th century, exact copies of Raphael's loggias in the Vatican were made in the royal Winter Palace (Hermitage).

Loggias of Raphael in the Hermitage

Stanzas of Raphael

Raphael's Stanzas are the rooms in the papal palace painted by him and his students. Stanza del Incendio di Borgo ( Stanza dell'Incendio di Borgo) is dedicated to episodes related to the activities of Popes Leo III and Leo IV, which made it possible to glorify Leo X, who was then on the papal throne.

The fresco "Fire in Borgo" depicts the fire of 847. Then Pope Leo IV miraculously stopped him, making the sign of the cross over the crowd fleeing the fire.

Charlemagne was crowned with the imperial crown in 800 by Pope Leo III

Fresco "Battle of Ostia"

The Battle of Ostia was a naval battle that took place in 849 between Muslim and Christian forces, ending in Christian victory. The Christian fleet was blessed by Pope Leo IV before the battle.

Stanza della Segnatura was the papal office. The frescoes in this room represent four areas of human activity: “ Athens school" - philosophy, " Dispute" - theology, " Parnassus" - poetry, and " Wisdom, moderation and strength"- justice.

Raphael's fresco "The School of Athens" depicts, among others, Leonardo da Vinci as Plato (in the center in a red cloak), Michelangelo as Heraclitus (sitting in deep thought), Bramante as Euclid (with a compass in his hands) and, finally, Raphael himself in the image of Appeles.

Stanza d'Eliodoro ( Stanza d'Eliodoro) Raphael painted it in 1511-1514. The theme of her paintings is the miraculous patronage provided by God to the church.

On the fresco " Exile of Eliodorus“It tells how a heavenly horseman expels the Syrian military leader Eliodorus from the Jerusalem Temple, which he wanted to plunder. This fresco alludes to the expulsion of the French from the Papal States.