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
