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Raphael Cartoons

Print
19th century? (made)
Artist/Maker

This print is based on a cartoon by Raphael. 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
  • Raphael Cartoons (generic title)
  • St. Paul Preaching at Athens (popular title)
Materials and techniques
engraving in ink on paper
Brief description
St Paul Preaching at Athens; from a cartoon by Raphael for the tapestries in the Sistine Chapel; engraving; 19th century.
Physical description
Saint Paul stands on steps in front of a building, left, 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 the same direction as the cartoon from which it is derived but faithfully reproduces the compositional details of the original.
Dimensions
  • Trimmed to height: 48.4cm
  • Trimmed to width: 60.5cm
Marks and inscriptions
[inscriptions have been cut off]
Subjects depicted
Place depicted
Literary referenceBible, Acts, 18
Summary
This print is based on a cartoon by Raphael. 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
12422

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Record createdJune 30, 2009
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