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St. Paul Preaching at Athens

Print
1837 (published)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

The so-called Raphael Cartoons, which this print reproduces, are seven full size designs for tapestries by the great Italian Renaissance artist Raphael (1483-1520). They illustrate passages from the Bible concerning the lives of Saint Peter and Saint Paul. None of them is smaller than ten feet high by thirteen feet wide. They belong to Her Majesty the Queen and have been on loan to this museum since 1865. The earliest print relating to the Raphael Cartoons dates from 1516, the year in which Raphael received final payment for the commission. It inaugurates an extraordinary case study in the history of printmaking, stretching over more than four hundred and fifty years and across a wide range of printmaking techniques.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Titles
  • St. Paul Preaching at Athens (popular title)
  • Raphael Cartoons (generic title)
Materials and techniques
etching on paper
Brief description
Steel etching by John Burnet, Paul Preaching at Athens, after a cartoon by Rafael. London, 1837.
Physical description
Saint Paul stands on steps in front of a building preaching to a crowd. Behind is a townscape and two buildings, one rotund with marble columns and statues in niches, the other square with arches. There is a statue of Mars just behind the listening crowd.

The image is in the same direction as the cartoon on which it is based and is faithful in compositional detail.
Dimensions
  • Sheet height: 54.9cm
  • Sheet width: 66.8cm
  • Platemark width: 66cm
Marks and inscriptions
  • Etched on steel by J Burnet (Lower right)
  • [Designed] and Drawn by Raffaelle (Lower left)
  • Etching by Burnet "Paul Preaching at Athens" / after Raffaelle. (label stuck to lower margin, centred)
Subjects depicted
Place depicted
Literary referenceBible, Acts, 18
Summary
The so-called Raphael Cartoons, which this print reproduces, are seven full size designs for tapestries by the great Italian Renaissance artist Raphael (1483-1520). They illustrate passages from the Bible concerning the lives of Saint Peter and Saint Paul. None of them is smaller than ten feet high by thirteen feet wide. They belong to Her Majesty the Queen and have been on loan to this museum since 1865. The earliest print relating to the Raphael Cartoons dates from 1516, the year in which Raphael received final payment for the commission. It inaugurates an extraordinary case study in the history of printmaking, stretching over more than four hundred and fifty years and across a wide range of printmaking techniques.
Associated object
ROYAL LOANS.7 (Source)
Bibliographic references
  • Shearman, John. Raphael's Cartoons in the collection of Her Majesty the Queen and the tapestries for the Sistine Chapel. London, Phaidon, 1972.
  • Fermor, Sharon. The Raphael Tapestry Cartoons: Narrative, Decoration, Design. London, Scala Books in association with the Victoria and Albery Museum.
Collection
Accession number
18559

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Record createdJune 30, 2009
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