steadily influence devout favorite
probably festival sleeves conception
Raphael worked steadily in the Vatican hall. Perhaps the most pleasing of
these frescoes is the one which shows the Church in heaven and the Church
on earth.
The fresco is divided into two sections. The upper one shows the Almighty
Father in the midst of angels. Below Him is Christ enthroned, with the
Virgin and St. John the Baptist. Beneath the throne is the Dove of the
Holy Spirit. In the lower fresco appear St. John, St. Ambrose, St.
Augustine, and St. Gregory.
At No. 124 Via Coronari, near the St. Angelo bridge, is the four-story
house where Raphael lived during his first four years in Rome.
Raphael was admitted in 1514 into the Fraternity of the Body of Christ,
and his many Madonnas of rare beauty were doubtless inspired by his devout
spirit.
During his stay in Rome Raphael set up a studio to which many students
flocked. They loved him both as friend and master, and he was untiring in
his efforts to instruct and inspire them.
He was commissioned by the Pope with the task of making certain
decorations for the Sistine Chapel. They were to take the form of
tapestries with which the chapel would be adorned on great festival
occasions. There were ten of these, all telling some Bible story in the
life of Christ or one of His immediate followers.
The last of the series is the Coronation of the Virgin. It shows Christ on
his throne crowning the Madonna. The Father and the Holy Spirit are seen
above and St. Jerome and St. John the Baptist below.
As yet nothing has been said of the painting by which the name of Raphael
is best known, the Sistine Madonna. It was painted in 1518 for the
Benedictine Monastery of San Sisto at Piacenza. In 1754 it was purchased
by Augustus III, Elector of Saxony, for forty thousand dollars. It was
received in Dresden with great rejoicing, and the throne of Saxony was
moved to give it a suitable place. It is now in the Dresden gallery.
Another favorite is the Madonna of the Chair. This shows the Madonna,
seated, holding the child. “The dress of the mother is light blue; the
mantle about her shoulder is green with red and willow-green stripes and
a gold-embroidered border; her sleeves are red faced with gold at the
wrists. A grayish-brown veil with reddish-brown stripes is wound around
her head. The child’s dress is orange colored; the back of the chair is
red.” Such is the description given by Grimm.
At the time of his death Raphael was putting forth every effort to finish
his noble conception of the Transfiguration. It is now, as he left it, in
the Vatican.
On the night of Good Friday, April 6, 1520, at the age of thirty-seven,
Raphael died. In his beautiful home, where the people of Rome might do him
honor, the unfinished Transfiguration beside him, in the midst of lighted
tapers, he lay in state until the body was carried to the Pantheon. In the
procession also was carried the great picture.