Museum Stories

Two Unknown Paintings by Raphael Discovered on the Vatican’s Walls

Zuzanna Stańska 31 July 2017 min Read

Two previously unattributed paintings from the wall of The Vatican Museums has been attributed this month to Raphael. “The wall” is not the best description of the place. The frescos we are writing about are placed in Raphael’s Rooms which served as Pope Julius II’s apartments. It was that Pope, who commissioned The Sistine Chapel and many other pieces of art, that are now considered as classic Renaissance pieces. The Pope commissioned Raphael and his pupils to paint the rooms, and they adorned each one with a different theme.

Raphael discovered The restoration works, source: ANSA
The restoration works, source: ANSA

Three of the rooms – as you would expect from the name of the rooms – contain paintings by Raphael himself. But experts didn’t think that the fourth—and largest—chamber, called the Room of Constantine, was also painted by the master.

The Room of Constantine depicts four significant moments in the life of Emperor Constantine I, who’s credited with converting the Roman Empire to Christianity. Experts had always believed that Raphael had sketched plans for the frescoes, and his pupils finished them after Raphael’s sudden death on April 6, 1520. But new restoration efforts prompted experts to take a closer look, and they noticed that two allegorical figures in the frescoes appear to have been painted by Raphael.

One of the frescos depicts the Vision of the Cross, the moment Emperor Constantine claimed to have seen an image of a holy cross in the sky before a decisive battle. At the edge of the large-scale painting floats a woman who represents Friendship. A second scene, which depicts the battle between Constantine and his pagan brother-in-law Maxentius, shows the figure of Justice. Experts now say that Raphael painted both images.

Such great news!

 

Recommended

Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen Museum Stories

Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen: Staff Picks

Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen is located in the heart of Rotterdam, a Dutch city well known for its bold, modern architecture and seafaring history.

Ania Kaczynska 23 January 2023

Museum Stories

Crystals and Art – The Wonder World of Swarovski

In the middle of the Austrian countryside, in Wattens, you can find yourself surrounded by a mixture of contemporary art and crystal wonders by...

Agnieszka Cichocka 16 January 2023

Museum Stories

Artemisia (Literally) Unveiled: A Unique Chance to Encounter Artemisia Gentileschi in Florence

Until April 2023, the Casa Buonarroti Museum in Florence will host the restoration of Artemisia Gentileschi’s Allegory of Inclination. This is a...

Carlotta Mazzoli 31 January 2023

Museum Stories

An Insider’s Look: Denver Art Museum Staff’s Favorite Artworks

Denver Art Museum was founded in 1893 and since then has enriched the cultural life of the state of Colorado. It is one of the largest museums in the...

Ania Kaczynska 27 October 2022