Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 16.djvu/796

RAPHAEL SANTI. The medallions and the beautiful decorations of the ceiling are after Raphael's designs, but the wall paintings were executed, at least in part, bv himself. The conception is soniewliat dis- turbed by the introduction of Paj)al portraits into three of the frescoes, but granting this ne- eessit^, the composition could not have been better done. The "E.Kpulsion of Heliodorus from the Temple," a painting of mighty dramatic power, symbolizes the expulsion of Charles VIII. of France from Italy. ''Attila and Leo tlie Great" is a remarkable composition, designed almost entirely of horsemen. The "iliracle of Bolscna" shows how the host was changed into blood under the eyes of an unlielieving priest, and over the other" window "Peter's Release from Prison" is rcmarkiilde for its portrayal of the gloom of the night, under the triple illumination of the moon, torches, and the apparition of the angel. The paintings of this loom, particularly the one last mentioned, are Raphael's most remarkable color- istic ])roduction. and show the influence of the Venetian Sebastiano del Pionibo, who was at that time in Rome. They also show, in the splendid dramatic action, a further influence of Jlichel- angelo. probably derived from frescoes in the Sis- tine Cliapcl. Tliis is still more evident in the fresco of "Isaiah" (1512; San Agostino), and in those of the "Sibyls" ( 1514, Santa Maria della Pace) , in which Raphael enters the list as a rival of Michelangelo. A third important in- fluence upon Raphael's art was that of the classic monuments of Rome ; but he harmonized all of these factors into an individual art of his own. Before the death of .Julius II. in 151.3. Raphael assumed an important position at the Papal Court, and under Leo. X. his influence increased. Upon the death of Bramante, in 1514. he was made chief architect of St. Peter's, at his dying predecessor's request, and in 1515 he was ap- pointed conservator of all the excavations of antiquities in and near Rome. The greatest statesmen anil liumanists of the day sought his friendship, and kings requested, as an especial favor, a work of his hand. He attended court with a following of fifty painters, and lived like a prince. Under such circumstances it as im- possible for him to execute the remaining decora- tions of the Vatican with his own hand. He was cinnpelled to intrust them and the execution of his architectural and other designs to his numer- ous pupils. His compositions became grander than ever, even though the execution suffered. The celebrated engraver Marcnntonio Rnimondi (q.v.) was entirely occupied in carrying out his designs for prints.

The third chamber of the Vatican, the Stanza del Incendio (1514-17). is decorated with his- torical scenes from the lives of Leo III. and Leo IV.. the best of which, the "Incendio del Borgo," after which the room is named, represents Leo IV. miraculously extinguishing a fire at Rome. It is a wonderful piece of dramatic realism. Of the fourth chamber, the Sala Constantina. the de- signs only were furnished by Raphael, and of these only two were used, the principal of which, the "Victory of Constantine Over Maxentius." was executed by Giulio Romano. Kear by are the decorations of the Loggie of the Vatican, which. of all his woi-ks, show the highest influence of the antique. The adornment is mainly of gro- tesques, copied after the Roman models lately discovered in the Baths of Titus, and on the ceil- ing is the so-called Raphael's Bible, fifty-two pic- tures of biblical subjects e.xecuted by Giulio Ro- mano.

But the most powerful decorative work of Raphael's later life is the ten delicately col- ored cartoons for the tapestries which hung up- on the walls of the Sistine Chapel. The orig- inal tapestries are still in the Vatican, and there are copies at Berlin, Dresden, and iladrid, but only seven of the cartoons survive — all of them showing wonderful technique and power. The two best are the "Miracuhms Draught of Fishes" and "Peter and Paul Preaching." For his friend Agostino Chigi he also designed the archi- tecture and decorations of the Chigi Chapel in Santa Maria del Popolo, and the beautiful dec- orations of the Villa Farnesina. Of these, the fresco "Galatea" (1514) is perhaps the most jjerfect of all modern mythological pictures. In it the antique lives again, executed, however, with the more naturalistic technique of the six- teenth century. Raphael's talent as a narrator was never more perfectly exhibited than in the Farnesina with his .story of "Cupid and P.syche" (1518-20), which, though executed by his pupils, contains some of the best modern versions of. antique mythology. Especially lieautiful is the fresco of ".Tupiter Kissing Cupid," in which the ma.jesty of old age and the beauty of youth are charmingly contrasted.

Along with these greater luidertakings Raphael executed numerous easel pictures. His portraits are admirable realistic productions with a strong and xmaffected conception of character, belonging, indeed, to the greatest portraiture that has ever liecn produced. Among the principal examples, besides those wonderful likenesses in his frescoes, is that of "Julius II.." surviving in a number of examples, of which the original is proliably in the Pitti Palace. The old man is represented as seated in an arm-chair, engaged in deep medita- tion. Other celebrated specimens are the por- traits of Leo X. (1518) with two cardinals, a splendid piece of realism ; of Cardinal Bibbiena, of which the original is at Madrid, and a good re])Iica in the Pitti Palace; of Tonimaso Inghe- rami at Volteri'a ; of Baldassare Castiglione and .Joanna of Aragon, in the Louvre ;_ and the ■ beautiful "Donna "^'elata." the prototype of the I Sistine Madonna, in Pitti Palace. The celebrated I "Fornarina," formerly su])|)osed to be a portrait j of Raphael's beloved, is now attributed to Sebas- tiano del Piombo (q.v.).

Among his religious pictures, the greater num- ber were Madonnas, most of tliem executed by j bis pupils. (For an enumeration and description, I see Madonna.) The best example of his early] Roman period is the "Madonna della Sedia" or] "Seggiola" (Pitti Palace), so called from the j chair upon which she is seated. The Virgin is I represented as a beautiful Italian woman in j picturesque Roman folk costume. The expres-j sion of sublime maternal love in this picture has] never been excelled. The last and grandest of all J of his Madoimas, the consummation and perfec- tion of all such efforts, is the "Sistine Madonna"] (Dresden Gallery). Painted as an altarpiece for] the Church of San Sisto at Piacenza, it was fin- ished ,iust before Raphael's death. The VirginJ is not represented as a mother, but as the all- powerful Queen of Heaven descending from the