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St. Paul Preaching at Athens

Print
ca. 1700 - ca. 1750 (made)
Artist/Maker
Edward Cooper (publisher)
Raphael (artist)
Jean Simon (engraver)

This print is in reverse of the cartoon from which it is derived. 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

Object type
Print
Titles
  • St. Paul Preaching at Athens (popular title)
  • Raphael Cartoons (generic title)
Materials and techniques
mezzotint on paper
Printing Ink
Paper
Mezzotint
Brief description
Mezzotint, Paul Preaching at Athens, by E. Cooper.
Physical description
Saint Paul stands on steps in front of a building, right, 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.

This print is in reverse of the cartoon but is faithful in compositional details.
Dimensions
  • Max, trimmed to, irregular height: 25cm
  • Max, trimmed to, irregular width: 35cm
Marks and inscriptions
  • Paul Preaching at Athens Acts Chap. 17. [bracket] 4ft. 7.In. by 11. ft. 4. [bracket] Paulus Praedicans in Aeropago. Act. Cap. XVII. (Bottom centre)
  • Raphael Urbin [pinx.] / E. Cooper [ex.] (Lower left, words in [] lost)
  • J[. Simon fec.] (Lower right, words in [] lost)
    Transliteration
    Lower right corner. Most of this inscription lost
Subjects depicted
Classical Statues
Townscapes (Representations)
Crowd Scenes
Clothing, Costume
Rotundas (Buildings)
Raphael Cartoons
Paul (Saint)
Place depicted
Athens
Literary referenceBible, Acts, 18
Summary
This print is in reverse of the cartoon from which it is derived. 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
Prints, Drawings & Paintings Collection
Accession number
12566

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Record createdJune 30, 2009
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O677407/st-paul-preaching-at-athens-print-edward-cooper/
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