The Stanzas

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The Stanzas

The most precious paintings by Raphael are in the apartment built in the XV century for Pope Nicholas V, who was a real humanist, (namely one who in the Renaissance had devoted himself to the rediscovery of ancient philosophies and classic literature, which curch men fought as pagan). Aeneas Silvius Piccolomini of Siena, later elected Pope Pius II, said about Nicholas V what he does not know is outside the realm of human knowledge. Julius II decided to remodel the apartment and commissioned the work to several eminent painters. Brarnante brought Raphael to Rome introducing him to the Pope. Raphael who was only about 25 years old, prevailed over the other artists. Pope Julius let him paint first the ceiling of the room called La Segnatura (the Signature) where the Popes used to sign the Papal bulls and where the Ecclesiastical court of Justice used to hold its audiences. The young artist passed his test brilliantly and the Pope commissioned him to decorate the whole apartment.

The room of the Segnatura he painted in two years, 1509-11; the subjects the Pope suggested, symbolize the elements forming the human spirit, knowledge and virtue; the paintings on the ceiling are in close relation with those on the walls. The Roundel with the figure of Religion corresponds to the Disputa del 'Sacramento (the Disputation of the Sacrament). In this picture we recognize in Raphael the disciple of Perugino, the Umbrian master; the scene is symmetrically divided, the lower part represents Earth and famous theologians are on each side of the altar. The higher section represents Heaven.

The Trinity is centrally situated, starting from the top with God, Christ (sitting with the Virgin Mary, Saints and Prophets) down to The Holy Spirit. On the altar is the vessel containing the Holy Sacrament (the body of Christ), which is the focal point of the whole composition, linking Earth to Heaven according to the Christian faith. Some famous theologians are to be identified in the various figures: popes, Savonarola, Fra' Angelico and Dante Alighieri the poet. The perfect balance and symmetry on which the art of Raphael is based, appears more fluently conceived on the opposite wall, in the painting of The School of Athens which refers to the figure of Philosophy on the ceiling. The imposing vaulted structure in the painting, forming the background for the group of the most renowned philosophers, has a floor with such a perfect perspective effect that you could believe it to be a continuation of the floor of this room. The focal point of this composition is in the two central figures: the one in the red mantle, pointing to Heaven is Plato, who represents Idealism; the other in blue, Aristotle, pointing to Earth, represents Reality, the fundamental principles of philosophy. In the numerous group we recognize, in the olive green robes Socrates; Heraclitus, the pessimist, in the foreground, with the features of Michelangelo. Raphael painted there several portraits; Plato is possibly Leonardo da Vinci. His self portait is in the group of the philosophers mathematicians, and scientists, on the right corner, where Archimedes, or perhaps Euclid with Bramante's features, draws on a black board. The self portrait of Raphael is the face next to the last in the very corner, the beardless young man with a black beret.

Raphael has a fair right to be in that group for, as we see, his art is also made of mathematical precision and perfect equilibrium. Above one of the windows in the lunette are the three virtues relating to the civil and canon law in the scenes below. Over the other window, the Parnassus with Apollo in the center upon a rock, playing his lyre., and the most celebrated poets, Vergil, Homer, Dante etc. are there. This room, more than any other place, is pervaded by the presence of Raphael and of the other great personalities he met there, and we feel the classic atmosphere of the intellectual world which permeated and exhilarated Raphael's alert and versatile genius. The young artist, after having painted for years little else than madonnas and saints, found, in the residence of the Head of the Christian Church, the opportunity of painting pagan subjects. It is a fact that the Vatican Palaces, the seat of Catholic Sovereignty, are also one of the greatest treasure houses of pagan art.

Under the patronage of humanist popes, the Vatican became the greatest center of culture and art which ever existed in the world. We do not know of any other time in the history of mankind that so many geniuses met in one place. The visitor should bear this in mind when visiting the Vatican. The other face of the coin was the competition between these greatmen a competition which was not always a fair one being employed by the Pope meant glory and honour, but it also meant money and security. The main contest occurred between tho two greatest men, the two giants, Michelangelo and Raphael. When the latter started decorating the Stanze, Michelangelo had already been painting for a year in the Sistine Chapel. The room of Heliodorus was partly painted by Raphael around 1412-14. On the ceiling are scenes from the Bible by B. Peruzzi, on the walls are depicted the subjects which the Pope had chosen to represent the triumph of the Catholic faith. On the back of the wall with the School of Athens there is Leo I meeting Attila, the King of the Huns.

The Pope has the features of Pope Leo X (Julius II did not live to see this room finished and he was succeeded by Leo X Medici). This picture is by the assistants of Raphael and we notice that the figures in it are almost out of proportion in comparison with the perfection of the School of Athens. On the opposite wall, by Raphael, is Heliodorus expelled from the Temple of Jerusalem, where he had stolen the treasure, by order of Seleucus Philopator. It is a clear allusion to the expulsion of the French from Italy. On the left Pope Julius II on his portable throne, wearing the beard he grew when he started the crusade against the French; he swore he would not remove it until he had cast them out of Italy. The interesting study of gleaming light in this picture presages the fine example of luminarism Raphael achieved in the Liberation of St. Peter, over one of the windows.

Stanzas Over the opposite window is the Miracle of Bolsena. While a Bohemian priest, doubting the doctrine of Trans substantiation, was celebrating Mass at Boisena, near Orvieto, the Host dripped blood. The miracle is connected with the celebration of Corpus Domini in June. Pope Julius II is portrayed on the right of the altar confronting the priest of the miracle who shows dismay and uncertainty. Behind him anxiety appears on the faces of the people. On the priest's side wind blows on the candles, but the candles burn quietly on the Pope's side. There is certainty of faith, trust and calm.

In this picture we notice a remarkable study of color (the Venetian Sebastiano del Piombo was also in the Vatican then), with its predominant red tones.

So many other works were commissioned from Raphael, that he had to employ a whole school of assistants, whom he lodged in his princely house, never tiring of giving personal supervision to their studies, their works and their welfare, The Room of Costantine, entirely by the disciples of Raphael, was completed in 1525, five yars after his death. Giulio Romano painted the battle of the Milvian Bridge and the Vision of Constantine, Francesco Penni the Baptism of Constantine and the Donations. The ceiling of this room was painted in 1585 by Laureti.The Loggias overlooking the Courtyard of San Damaso were designed by Bramante at the end of the XV century, and all are decorated with frescoes by Raphael and his assistants in the style called Grotesque. This type of decoration was discovered by the Renaissance artists in the remains of the old Roman Imperial palaces and the Domus Aurea, places which the Romans called grottoes. On the ceiling are scenes from The Bible.



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