Raphael's Stanzas
Stanze di Raffaello - rooms (stanza - room) in the Papal Palace of the Vatican. They 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). Raphael's Stanzas are four relatively small rooms (approximately 9 by 6 m), painted in 1508-1517 by Raphael together with his students, and a hall, the paintings of which were carried out by students according to the painter's sketches after his death. The fourth room, the Hall of Constantine, was painted by Raphael's students and is therefore less known. Each of the walls is entirely occupied by a fresco composition, so there are four of them in each of the stanzas. The paintings amaze with their depth of design, richness of imagery, compositional clarity and orderliness, and overall harmony.
Stanza del Incendio di Borgo
Stanza del Incendio di Borgo (Stanza dell "Incendio di Borgo) is 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 allowed 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's, and with the old facade that still existed during Raphael's work on the painting of the stanzas.
Estancia del Incendio del Borgo (Vista general I)
Estancia del Incendio del Borgo (Vista general II)
“Fire in Borgo” Stanza dell "Incendio di Borgo
"Fire in Borgo" (fragment)
"Fire in Borgo" (fragment)
"Fire in Borgo" (fragment)
Coronation of Charlemagne
Coronation of Charlemagne (fragment)
The Oath or Justification of Leo III
Oath, or justification of Leo III (frament)
Battle of Ostia
Battle of Ostia (fragment)
Stanza della Segnatura
Stanza della Segnatura was the papal office, and papal decrees were signed here. This is the first of the stanzas painted by Raphael (1508-1511). The theme of the painting is human spiritual activity. The frescoes represent its four areas: " Athens school" - philosophy, "Disputa" - theology, "Parnassus" - poetry, and "Wisdom, Moderation and Strength" - justice.
Stanza della Segnatura 1
Stanza della Segnatura 2
"School of Athens" - philosophy
School of Athens (Escuela de Atenas)
The best of all the frescoes in the stanzas is unanimously recognized"School of Athens" - one of greatest creations 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. The fresco also depicts other great philosophers: Socrates (to the left of Plato), Diogenes (lying on the steps of the stairs), and in the foreground below - Pythagoras surrounded by students (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 working in this station). According to the master’s plan, imbued with the ideas of Christian Neoplatonism, such similarity was supposed to symbolize the impact and deep kinship ancient philosophy and new theology. Raphael's signature (RSVM) is at the collar of his robe.
Diogenes (Diogenes) School of Athens (fragment)
Heraclitus of Ephesus (Michelangelo)
School of Athens (fragment)
Plato (Leonardo da Vinci) School of Athens (fragment)
Pythagoras (Pitagora) School of Athens (fragment)
Plato (Leonardo da Vinci) and Aristotle
(School of Athens (fragment)
"Disputa" - theology
Fresco "Disputation" - this is not so much a conversation about the sacrament of communion as the glorification and triumph of the church. Above, in heaven, God the Father is depicted, below him is Christ with the Mother of God and John the Baptist, below is a dove, a symbol of the Holy Spirit, and the apostles sitting on the clouds. Below, on the ground, are the church fathers, popes, clergy, and believers, among whom you can see Dante, Savonarola and the artist monk Fra Beato Angelico. The fresco is distinguished by its amazing compositional unity and harmony.
"Disputation" - theology (Disputation of the Holy Sacrament)
Disputa (fragment)
Dispute (fragment) 2
"Parnassus" - poetry
"Parnassus". In the center is Apollo, around him are nine muses and poets, both ancient and Renaissance. On the left are blind Homer, Virgil, Dante, Petrarch, Anacreon, Sappho, on the right are Terence, Ariosto, Ovid, Horace.
"Parnassus"
Parnassus (Parnaso) Homer, Dante (fragment)
Parnassus (fragment)
Three cardinal virtues - The Cardinal Virtues
Trebonian presenting the Pandettas to Justinian
Gregory IX approving the Decretals
Ceiling (vault) paintings
Ceiling (vault) Estancia del Sello (Boveda)
Fresco on the ceiling (Adam and Eve)
Philosophy
Justice (Justice)
Eliodoro's Room (Stanza di Eliodoro)
Raphael painted the Stanza d'Eliodoro in 1511-1514. The theme of her paintings is the miraculous patronage provided by God to the church.
Stanza di Eliodoro I
Stanza di Eliodoro) II
Exile of Eliodorus
Fresco "The Expulsion of Eliodorus", from which the stanza got its name, tells how a heavenly horseman expels the Syrian military leader Eliodorus from the Jerusalem Temple, which he wanted to plunder. It is believed that this plot contains an allusion to the expulsion of the French from the Papal States. On the left is Pope Julius II seated. The character of this strong and powerful man is perfectly conveyed.
The Exile of Eliodorus (fragment)
Mass in Bolsena (Massatbolsena) 1512
IN "Mass in Bolsena"depicts a miracle that occurred in 1263, when during a service the host in the hands of an unbelieving priest became stained with blood. A kneeling Pope Julius II is present at this event, and on the right is a group of Swiss Guards from the papal guard, dressed in bright suits.
Liberation of Saint Peter
The fresco was painted with great skill"Liberation of Peter", telling about the miraculous release of the Apostle Peter from prison. This contains a hint of an episode from the life of Pope Leo X. While still a cardinal, he was captured by the French at the Battle of Ravenna in 1512, but managed to escape. The composition is divided into three parts. In the center is depicted behind bars, in a dungeon, the sleeping Apostle Peter, over whom an angel is bending. On the right side, an angel leads Peter out of prison while the guards are sleeping; on the left, the awakened guards, having discovered Peter’s disappearance, raise the alarm. Raphael uses night lighting with great skill in this fresco, creating a dramatic mood and deep expressiveness.
Liberation of Peter (fragment)
Meeting of Saint Leo the Great with Atilla
Meeting of Saint Leo the Great with Attila (fragment)
Stanzas of Raphael. Great Legacy
One of the main attractions of Rome, included in
museum complex Vatican, includes four rooms,
painted by the great artist together with his talented
students in the period from 1508 to 1524. "Raphael's Stanzas" translated
With Italian language stands for "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 for 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 and 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 for long 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
premises are allegorical images
theology, philosophy, jurisprudence and poetry, components,
according to the author, the basis 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 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 the four rooms, in decorative design which
Rafael was directly involved. Most of the work
By artistic painting the maestro entrusted 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
attitude 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 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 from 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
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 made by students 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 stories,
elevated to courtyard Vatican based on 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 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 career
but an amazingly fruitful life.
Sistine Madonna (detail with an imaginary finger)
6. According to the common version, six fingers 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. Negotiated the purchase for two years Sistine Madonna» y
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. A whole hour stood (or rather, sat on the sofa) 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 ransomed 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. 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
Raphael's Stanzas
Stanze di Raffaello - rooms (stanza - room) in the Papal Palace of the Vatican. They 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). Raphael's Stanzas are four relatively small rooms (approximately 9 by 6 m), painted in 1508-1517 by Raphael together with his students, and a hall, the paintings of which were carried out by students according to the painter's sketches after his death. The fourth room, the Hall of Constantine, was painted by Raphael's students and is therefore less known. Each of the walls is entirely occupied by a fresco composition, so there are four of them in each of the stanzas. The paintings amaze with their depth of design, richness of imagery, compositional clarity and orderliness, and overall harmony.
Stanza del Incendio di Borgo
Stanza del Incendio di Borgo (Stanza dell "Incendio di Borgo) is 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 allowed 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's, and with the old facade that still existed during Raphael's work on the painting of the stanzas.
Estancia del Incendio del Borgo (Vista general I)
Estancia del Incendio del Borgo (Vista general II)
“Fire in Borgo” Stanza dell "Incendio di Borgo
"Fire in Borgo" (fragment)
"Fire in Borgo" (fragment)
"Fire in Borgo" (fragment)
Coronation of Charlemagne
Coronation of Charlemagne (fragment)
The Oath or Justification of Leo III
Oath, or justification of Leo III (frament)
Battle of Ostia 
Battle of Ostia (fragment)
Stanza della Segnatura
Stanza della Segnatura was the papal office, and papal decrees were signed here. This is the first of the stanzas painted by Raphael (1508-1511). The theme of the painting is human spiritual activity. The frescoes represent its four areas: "The School of Athens" - philosophy, "Disputa" - theology, "Parnassus" - poetry, and "Wisdom, Temperance and Strength" - justice.
Stanza della Segnatura 1
Stanza della Segnatura 2
"School of Athens" - philosophy
School of Athens (Escuela de Atenas)
The best of all the frescoes in the stanzas is unanimously recognized"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. The fresco also depicts other great philosophers: Socrates (to the left of Plato), Diogenes (lying on the steps of the stairs), and in the foreground below - Pythagoras surrounded by students (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 working 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.
Diogenes (Diogenes) School of Athens (fragment)
Heraclitus of Ephesus (Michelangelo)
School of Athens (fragment)
Plato (Leonardo da Vinci) School of Athens (fragment)
Pythagoras (Pitagora) School of Athens (fragment)
Plato (Leonardo da Vinci) and Aristotle
(School of Athens (fragment)
"Disputa" - theology
Fresco "Disputation" - this is not so much a conversation about the sacrament of communion as the glorification and triumph of the church. Above, in heaven, God the Father is depicted, below him is Christ with the Mother of God and John the Baptist, below is a dove, a symbol of the Holy Spirit, and the apostles sitting on the clouds. Below, on the ground, are the church fathers, popes, clergy, and believers, among whom you can see Dante, Savonarola and the artist monk Fra Beato Angelico. The fresco is distinguished by its amazing compositional unity and harmony.
"Disputation" - theology (Disputation of the Holy Sacrament)
Disputa (fragment)
Dispute (fragment) 2
"Parnassus" - poetry
"Parnassus". In the center is Apollo, around him are nine muses and poets, both ancient and Renaissance. On the left are blind Homer, Virgil, Dante, Petrarch, Anacreon, Sappho, on the right are Terence, Ariosto, Ovid, Horace.
"Parnassus"
Parnassus (Parnaso) Homer, Dante (fragment)
Parnassus (fragment)
Three cardinal virtues - The Cardinal Virtues
Trebonian presenting the Pandettas to Justinian
Gregory IX approving the Decretals
Ceiling (vault) paintings
Ceiling (vault) Estancia del Sello (Boveda)
Fresco on the ceiling (Adam and Eve)
Philosophy
Justice (Justice)
Eliodoro's Room (Stanza di Eliodoro)
Raphael painted the Stanza d'Eliodoro in 1511-1514. The theme of her paintings is the miraculous patronage provided by God to the church.
Stanza di Eliodoro I
Stanza di Eliodoro) II 
Exile of Eliodorus
Fresco "The Expulsion of Eliodorus", from which the stanza got its name, tells how a heavenly horseman expels the Syrian military leader Eliodorus from the Jerusalem Temple, which he wanted to plunder. It is believed that this plot contains an allusion to the expulsion of the French from the Papal States. On the left is Pope Julius II seated. The character of this strong and powerful man is perfectly conveyed.
The Exile of Eliodorus (fragment)
Mass in Bolsena (Massatbolsena) 1512
IN "Mass in Bolsena"depicts a miracle that occurred in 1263, when during a service the host in the hands of an unbelieving priest became stained with blood. A kneeling Pope Julius II is present at this event, and on the right is a group of Swiss Guards from the papal guard, dressed in bright suits.
Liberation of Saint Peter
The fresco was painted with great skill"Liberation of Peter", telling about the miraculous release of the Apostle Peter from prison. This contains a hint of an episode from the life of Pope Leo X. While still a cardinal, he was captured by the French at the Battle of Ravenna in 1512, but managed to escape. The composition is divided into three parts. In the center is depicted behind bars, in a dungeon, the sleeping Apostle Peter, over whom an angel is bending. On the right side, an angel leads Peter out of prison while the guards are sleeping; on the left, the awakened guards, having discovered Peter’s disappearance, raise the alarm. Raphael uses night lighting with great skill in this fresco, creating a dramatic mood and deep expressiveness.
Liberation of Peter (fragment)
Meeting of Saint Leo the Great with Atilla
Meeting of Saint Leo the Great with Attila (fragment)
Rafael Santi - the genius of the era High Renaissance. Read about Raphael’s fresco paintings of the Stanza della Segnatura and Stanza d’Eliodoro (rooms in the Papal Vatican Palace), and the fresco paintings “Disputa”, “Parnassus”, “The Expulsion of Eliodorus from the Temple” in our article.
Raphael's Stanzas in the Vatican Palace Complex are three relatively small rooms in the papal Vatican Palace, painted by Raphael together with his students in 1508 - 1517. These Apartments already existed under Pope NicholasV(1447-1455). Stanza della Segnatura (Room of Signatures) is the only one of the three stanzas whose name remains authentic, not associated with the works of Raphael. The walls of this room, which was the first to be decorated, are decorated with frescoes: “Disputa”, “School of Athens”, “Parnassus” and “Justice”.
"Disputa" is the first fresco painted by Raphael in the Stanza della Segnatura. In this fresco depicting Religion, Raphael's manner indicates that he had not yet freed himself from the influence of artists whose works on a similar subject he had seen in Florence and Rome.
Rafael Santi. Fresco "Disputation"
The theme of the painting is the triumph of the highest truth of religious revelation. The semantic axis of the complex but clear composition of this fresco is in the center - this is the Trinity: God the Father, Christ and the Holy Spirit, whose symbol - a dove in a sphere - descends to the altar with a host (Eucharistic bread, small unleavened flatbread). The image of other events develops horizontally. Next to Christ, surrounded by radiance and glory, sit the Holy Virgin and John the Baptist, and on a semicircular cloud are the forefathers, prophets, Saints Peter, Paul and others. Below, symmetrically on either side of the altar with the Holy Gifts, about which there is a dispute, the earthly Church is presented. Scientists, philosophers, pontiffs Roman Catholic Church, whose faith has left a mark on history, are engaged in a debate. Raphael gave the four men at the altar the features of Dante, Savonarola, Bramante and the artist - monk Fra Beato Angelico. But, despite the disagreements of the disputants, the picture is filled with majestic calm. This harmony and compositional unity is achieved through construction - the fresco is similar to architectural structure and is inseparable from the room in which it is located.
Rafael Santi. Fresco "Parnassus"
Raphael placed the composition “Poetry” (it received the name “Parnassus” later) between the “School of Athens” and the “Disputa” on the eastern side of the Stanza della Segnatura. The plot of the painting was developed in the spirit of the humanistic teachings of his time, according to the ideas of Petrarch, Boccaccio, Salutati and personified the ideaBello- beauty, beautiful.
Rafael easily solved the problem visual image Poetry, which during the Renaissance was considered the “second theology” and the “divine art.” The artist depicted a hill with a grove symbolizing Parnassus, the famous Greek mountain, considered in ancient times to be the residence of the Muses.
In the center of the composition, Apollo, the god of music and poetry, plays the lyre da braccio. This lyre is an obvious anachronism (violation of chronological plausibility), because ancient music did not know bowed instruments. Raphael gave Apollo not an ancient instrument, but a contemporary lyre and a braccio in order to emphasize main idea the entire cycle of stanzas - the continuity of ancient and contemporary Raphael cultures.
Around Apollo are nine muses and poets, both ancient and Renaissance. On the left, the artist placed a powerful figure of an inspiredly singing blind Homer in a dark blue pallium (long woolen cloak). To balance the figure of Homer, on the right, with his back to the viewer, the artist depicted the muse Urania in a red robe. To the right of Urania, a young dark-haired man with a sharply turned torso looks intently at the viewer. This look that speaks of strong character, belongs to Michelangelo. Raphael was shocked by Michelangelo's poetic talent, and boldly ranked him among the host of poets, with which many of his contemporaries agreed.
Rafael Santi. Fresco "Parnassus". Image of Michelangelo
Creation can survive the Creator:
The Creator will leave, defeated by nature,
However, the image he captured,
It will warm hearts for centuries.
Michelangelo Buonarroti
It is impossible to define the purpose of art more precisely.
The fourth fresco is dedicated to the theme of justice and consists of three parts. Above the window, the artist placed three female figures, symbolizing Wisdom, Measure and Strength. To the left of the window is an image of Emperor Justinian with a code of civil laws, and to the right is an image of Pope GregoryIXwith a set of church rules. They symbolize the history of ecclesiastical and secular law.
The ensemble of frescoes of Raphael's Stanza della Segnatura is the embodiment of the humanistic dream of the Renaissance about the spiritual and physical perfection of man, his high calling and his creative potential.
Rafael Santi. Stanza d'Eliodoro
The dominant idea of all paintings and frescoes by Raphael of the Roman period is the power of the Church. Raphael's motto - all forces on earth are subordinate to the Church - is especially clearly expressed in the frescoes of Stanza d'Eliodoro. This stanza was the second of the rooms in the Vatican chambers of the pope, which was decorated by Raphael in 1511 - 1514. By order of Pope JuliusII this stanza was reserved for private audiences, which the pontiff often granted to major political and religious figures and diplomats. Decoration The stanza was supposed to emphasize the importance of this place, which determined the theme of its painting.
The subjects for the frescoes of this stanza were legends and episodes from the history of the Church, when, supposedly, thanks to divine intervention, it got rid of the danger that threatened it. As a Catholic and the official painter of the papal throne, Raphael in four frescoes of this stanza depicted the greatness of the Church, her All-conquering force and the mighty wrath of God against her enemies and the pope.
Rafael Santi. Fresco "The Expulsion of Eliodorus from the Temple"
In the fresco that gave the name to this stanza, Raphael depicted the expulsion of the Syrian leader Eliodorus from the Temple of Jerusalem (3rd chapter, 2nd book of the Maccabees). Eliodor came to the Temple of Jehovah to plunder it and steal gold intended for widows and orphans. But the robber was overtaken by God's punishment in the form of an angel - a beautiful horseman in golden armor. A crowd of people, women and children on the left side of the fresco, look with fear and amazement at the miracle that has taken place. It is somewhat surprising to see the calm Yuli among this dynamic crowd.II, which is brought into the Temple by drabants (medieval german warriors), one of which is endowed with the features of a great German artist Albrecht Durer. In this episode Raphael sinned against the truth, but this false touch was quite natural inXVIcentury. The fresco was painted to glorify Pope JuliusII, therefore, the main themes of the painting are related to historical or legendary events from the life of JuliusII: victory over the French, whom the pope expelled from the Papal States and his miraculous deliverance from captivity in Bologna in 1509. The frescoes of this stanza are also interesting because they show the true position of even such a genius as Raphael at the court of the pope, the artist’s dependence on the trends of his time and the inability to present his vision historical event. Raphael began work on this stanza in 1512, completing the painting two years later, and Pope Julius was able to see The Expulsion of Heliodorus before his death in February 1513, when work on the stanza was in full swing.
Raphael's four stanzas are rooms in the Vatican Palace that are open to the public. They are best known for the amazing frescoes painted by Raphael and his talented students. Along with Michelangelo's ceiling frescoes Sistine Chapel they are the most outstanding works dating back to the Renaissance. Initially, the stanzas were the personal apartments of Pope Julius II, who did not want to occupy the same rooms that once belonged to representatives of the hated Borgia family.
It was he who invited Raphael, at that time a relatively young artist from Urbino (he was only twenty-five years old), to completely change the interior of the rooms. With the death of Julius in 1513, Leo X became Pope. He continued to control the decoration of the rooms, but, unfortunately, great artist also died. The frescoes were completed by Raphael's students - Gianfrancesco Penni, Giulio Romano and Raffaellino del Collier. Thus, each of the walls is decorated with a fresco composition; there are four of them in total in the stanza.
Stanza della Segnatura
The Stanza della Segnatura contains Raphael's most outstanding frescoes. All of them except the first one Vatican work great artist, date back to the beginning of the Renaissance period. The name of the stanza literally translates as “signature room” - until the mid-16th century, the pontiff held meetings here and signed important documents. Initially, however, it was used by Julius II as a library and personal account, as the frescoes painted between 1508 and 1511 eloquently tell. They reflect the three greatest aspects of the human spirit: Truth, Goodness and Beauty. Supernatural Truth is illustrated in the Disputation, and Reasonable Truth in the School of Athens.
Goodness is presented in Virtue and Law, and Beauty in Parnassus. The “School of Athens” rightfully considers one of greatest works Raphael. The artist depicted prominent philosophers on the canvas (about fifty characters), placing Aristotle and Plato in the center: the first points down as a sign of connection with the earth, the second raises his hands to him.
In the most beautiful fresco "Parnassus" Raphael painted Apollo playing the lyre and nine muses with talented writers: Homer, Dante, Horace, Ovid, etc. During the reign of Leo X, the room was used as a study room or music class, here he kept his musical instruments. The setting from the time of Julius II was replaced by Fra Giovanni da Verona. He covered all the walls with wood.
Stanza d'Eliodoro
This stanza was originally intended for the Pope's private audiences and was decorated immediately after Raphael completed work on Segnaturoi. The images of the frescoes are filled with one idea - faith in God’s miraculous protection of the church. On the ceiling are four episodes of the Old Testament - all painted by Raphael himself, while in the grotesques and arches there are some works by Luca Signorelli, Bramantino, Lorenzo Lotto and Cesare da Sesto. The fresco “The Expulsion of Eliodorus” gave the dance its name - it depicts a heavenly horseman expelling the Syrian Eliodorus from the temple in Jerusalem.
Another work, “Mass in Bolsena,” shows an amazing miracle - the hands of an unbelieving priest were stained with blood. Another fresco - “The Liberation of the Apostle Peter” - tells about the release of the apostle from prison. The work is divided into two parts: in the right, Peter escapes from prison, led by an angel, in the left, the awakened guards raise the alarm. Art critics agree that a colossal amount of work has been done on the lighting. Refractions of rays and shadows, flickering flames, blinding darkness - it’s hard to imagine that one person wrote this.
Stanza del Incendio di Borgo
During the time of Julius II the stanza was used as a meeting room high court The Holy See, presided over by the Pope. This is evidenced by the frescoes on the ceiling, executed by Pietro Vannucci. During the time of Leo X, the room was used as a dining room, and Raphael was commissioned to paint the walls, who, however, most entrusted the work to his students.
Painting the frescoes took three years, from 1514 to 1517. The frescoes illustrate political aspirations Leo X through the narrative of the lives of two previous Popes of the same name: Leo III ("Coronation of Charlemagne by Pope Leo III") and Leo IV ("Fire at the Borgo"). In all episodes, the Pope is depicted with the face of the then-ruling Pontiff Leo X. It was thanks to the work “Fire in the Borgo” that the stanza acquired its name, and the fresco itself reflects ancient legend, according to which Pope Leo IV managed to tame the flames and protect the townspeople.
Stanza of Constantine
A room designed for receptions and other official events. After sudden death Raphael in 1520, it was completed by his students based on sketches and previous works of the artist. The stanza was named after Constantine, the first Christian emperor who officially recognized the Christian faith and granted others freedom of religion.
The wall paintings reflect four episodes from the life of the great ruler: evidence of the defeat of paganism and triumph Christian religion, the battle with Maxentius - the tyrant invader and the vision of Christ, the baptism of Constantine and the donation of Rome. The original wooden roof, erected under Pope Leo X, was replaced by a decree of Gregory XIII with modern roofing. They were decorated by order of Pope Tomaso Laureti, depicting the victory of Christianity in the center. The work was completed at the end of 1585 under the direction of Pope Sixtus V.
Where is it and how to get there
Raphael's stanzas occupy four rooms of the Papal Palace in the very center of the Vatican. Exact address: 00120 Vatican City, Papal See, Apostolic Palace, Apostolic Palace.
Metro: line A, towards Battistini, Ottaviano and Cipro stations.
Buses: No. 49 – stops on the square opposite Vatican Museum; No. 32, 81, 982 – stop Piazza del Risorgimento.
Raphael's Stanzas in the Vatican Museum on the map
