SSTEIN Research Proj- Raphael’s Cartoons for the Sistine Chapel Tapestries

V & A (n.d) The Raphael Cartoons. Retrieved from
 http://www.vam.ac.uk/users/node/1718

In Christ’s Charge to Peter, Christ is speaking to the disciples and telling peter that he will give him the keys of the kingdom of heaven. After Christ’s resurrection he appears before the disciples and charges peter to feed his sheep. The religious context indicates that Christ selected peter as the foundation of the church. In the cartoon Christ points towards the flock of sheep and with his other hand points at peter, appointing him to his position in the church. Leonardo’s intention was to make the focal point of the composition to be in the direction of Christ pointing figure to the kneeling ST. Peter.

Raphael
'Christ's Charge to Peter'
1515-16

In Raphael’s ‘Paul preaching at Athens’, Paul is shown talking to the Areopagus at Athens. The Areopagus is known as the seat of judicial councilors. There are two men behind Paul as he preaches, these men could have been molded after Pope Leo and Janus Lascaris. Pope Leo was very interested in what Paul had to say. This represent him following in Paul’s footsteps. The bottom two figures in the right of the painting are thought to not have been painted by Raphael himself. They are thought to have been painted by his follower Giulio Romano because they seem to be an afterthought that does not fit the composition in either scale or form.

Raphael
'Paul Preaching at Athens'
1515-16

SSTEIN Research Proj- Raphael’s Cartoons for the Sistine Chapel Tapestries

Freedberg Continued
Freedberg, Painting of the High Renaissance, Oberhuber, Hall. 280-293

In the creation of the Cartoons for the Sistine chapel, Raphael made each tapestry contains a scene that he focused on making with the intention to achieve a maximum coherent lucidity. The form and content has a lucidity that most none of his other works contained. Each of the tapestries is also more explicit in form and classical style than his previous works. The shape in which the important elements of the tapestries are arranged is extremely compact. The designs seem simpler than that of most frescos, and less ornamentally decorated. The geometrical designs and placements of figures is more obvious to the eye. The perspective in the cartoons is clear, but there is no longer a need for perspective. The shape and masses of the figures fill the space in the cartoons. In some of the designs the figures create a rectangular whole shaped solid that acts as a deep relief. The appearance seems to be a classical relief style. The classical antiquity in the figures and the visual information in the cartoons blends well with the style approached to show the clarity of generalization in designs. (280)

In the cartoons, the dominant theme is the sense of humanity in the actors of the scenes. The effect of the characters scale, shape in space, and actions within the composition are composed formally and conceptually. The clarity in the design that is instantly legible by the viewer creates dramatic action within the composition. The gestures in the cartoons have strong expressions with strong significance, and the gestures are extremely vigorous and lucid.  The hierarchy of the characters is not placed on the size they are or the position they are located in the scene, the hierarchy and social status placement is characterized by the role each individual plays in the scene itself. The figures are very naturally composed and look humanistic, but also have a spiritual force. (281) there is a sense of action and reaction amongst the charters represented that relate the figures and create meaning. There is a direction of movement in each design that depicts the sequence of events in each of the dramatic cartoons. (282)

The cartoons were created to show emphasis. There is strong clarity in the expression of the gestures and faces of the figures. The meaning and expressions show a forceful emphasis on the meaning and iconography rather than a graceful implication of the events being portrayed. (283)

The cartoon s have a strong contrapposto, but the interactions of the actors in the scenes are very harmonious and well composed. The major actors seem to be set in bold relief for emphasis where the minor actors are more set back and are merely stated and simplistic. (284)

The cartoons are very harmonious. There clarity and literal sense is more ideal. The simplicity expresses the idea in form and content, without the need for extremely decorated subjects. The colors used in the cartoons are more illusionistic than descriptive. The effect of color seems dry creating a leeched bronze tone that is set in an airless light. The colors used form muted reds and greens in the background create this different tonality and feeling. (287)

SSTEIN -Titian's Venus of Urbino

Rona Goffen, "Intorduction, " Titian's Venus of Urbino intro pg. 1-22

Titian had a professional investment in painting the female figure. He was one of the first artists to become famous throughout Europe and have an international career. In 1488-90 titian moved to Venice to study under the famous painter Giovanni   Bellini. Titian was later invited to paint frescos for the Confraternity. This took him from 1510 to 1511. After, he returned to Venice where he stayed until he died in 1576.

One of Titians commissions The Assunta for the altar of S. Maria Gloriosa dei Frari, became the largest panel painting in the world. It took him a total of two years to complete. After titian completed the painting he was pursued by the Emperor Charles V and his son, Philip II. Titian commissioned many religious painting for the two. Charles gave titian the tittle “Knight of the Golden Spur, Count of the Lateran Palace and of the Imperial Consistory.” Titian had been praised and compared to the most famous predecessor Apelles. Many painters had been compared to Apelles in this time, but not by the Roman Emperor himself.

By 1538, Duke Guidobaldo della Rovere had received Titians painting, Venus of Urbino. At this time titian had been world famous. The Venus of Urbino seems to have been created without any literary source. It has no explanation in text. The women in most all of his work appear to be idealized. Titian idealized the beauty in the women he painted and portrayed what he thought was beauty in women. Venus of Urbino contains elements of asymmetry, juxtaposition of closed and opened space, and contrast of large foreground forms. The painting can be related to many contemporary works in style and form that Titian had created. Titian used his brush strokes to create beautiful shapes that are formed by the light and darkness.

Titians goddess (or courtesan) in his Venus painting beholds us directly. Opening up her body and gazing out at you from the painting unlike many other Venus paintings. Definitely meant for the male gaze and idealizes the beauty of women. Titians use of color and light and painterly strokes seduces the eye as you gaze at the painting. Was this painting made to show an ancient goddess of a modern courtesan that is the perfect woman?

It is thought that prostitutes may have posed for some of Titians works. It is also said that Titian enjoyed the company of the courtesans he painted. His models may have been prostitutes for the reason that the women may have subsidized their incomes in this way. The question of if Titians models are goddesses or courtesans is not important. What is important is how he represents the women and how the representation defines the role of the beholder. Titian painted women in many interpretations from contemporary philosophical and theological views, to the medical views on women.

Most men of this century had misogynistic views on women. Titian may have been as misogynistic as all the other men in society, but his painting still creates a sympathetic feeling. Making you look at the woman and sympathize for her. His coloristic style may have explained his approach to create the visualization of sympathy. Whatever the meaning of the paintings he creates, Titians subject is himself.

SSTEIN Research Proj- Raphael’s Cartoons for the Sistine Chapel

V & A (n.d) The Raphael Cartoons: Animal Imagery in 'The Miraculous Draught of Fishes'. Retrieved from

http://www.vam.ac.uk/content/articles/t/raphael-cartoons-animal-imagery/

 

     Raphael has a lot of animal imagery in his Cartoon labeled “The Miraculous Draught of Fishes”. In the Cartoon he shows various types of birds. He also shows a bunch of Fish and crabs. To the bottom right of the cartoon are three cranes. According to the Roman author Pliny, the birds represent vigilance. Cranes would take turns keeping watch while the others would rest. The crane would hold a stone in its claw and if it were to drift off the stone would drop and wake the other cranes. The crane is an emblem of papal authority because of its vigilance. The cranes in the cartoon represent the fisherman looking over water. The birds are mimicking the acts of the fisherman. The cranes emphasize Peter’s role as the fisher of men because of the symbol of papal authority. This shows the link between peter and the commissioner Pope Leo X.

     The Ravens that glide gracefully over the fisherman were thought to be and unpleasant bird that scavenged on the dead. The raves have a bad representation because of their ties to the story of Noah’s arc. When they were sent form the arch they never returned like the doves. The ravens are a symbol of sin. During the time of this cartoon ravens were also thought to represent a corrupt priest. In the carton the ravens are next to swans to show the issues with converting sinners.

     The Fishes were thought to represent compassion because so species of fishes were known to shelter and protect young in their mouths. In the cartoon they are representing the souls that St Peter is saving as he swoops them up in his net. The shellfish represent the opposite of this as they are tossed aside for the cranes. Christ gestures to the fisherman to let their nets down and into the water to collect the souls.

     The crabs were symbols of greed and covetousness which is one of the 7 deadly sins. The crabs represent the complete opposite of the fishes. The crustaceans are symbols of wickedness and they are left over for the other fisherman represented by the cranes.

 

 'The Miraculous Draught of Fishes'

 

 

 

 

SSTEIN Research Proj- Raphael’s Cartoons for the Sistine Chapel

V & A (n.d) Biography of Raphael. Retrieved from

http://www.vam.ac.uk/content/articles/b/biography-raphael-pope-leo-x/

 

Short Biography on Raphael

Raphael was born in Urbino. He was the son of a painter. He showed skill in the arts and painting at a very young age. Around the time of 1500 he began to study under Perugino. He began to create altar pieces for churches in Perugia. His paintings began to take a resemblance to Perugino’s. This style showed delicately posed figures with a lack of strong contraposition.

In 1505 he left moved to Florence were he began painting many popular scenes of the virgin and child. Now away from Perugino his style began to change and he started to develop his own skillset.

In 1508 Pope Julius beckoned Raphael to Rome. Raphael remained here the rest of his life devoting his work and time to painting and creating art for the Vatican palace. He created elaborate frescoes for Pope Julius. These frescos showed biblical subjects. An example of his work for Julius is the School of Athens. His commissions form Pope Leo led to him creating the Famous Sistine tapestries in the Sistine Chapel. Under the commission of Pope Leo, Raphael also broaden his knowledge in archeology and architecture. All of this work he created in Rome and mostly the cartoon tapestries brought him fame and admiration. To this day his regarded as one of the greatest artists/painters of his time.

SSTEIN Research Proj- Raphael’s Cartoons for the Sistine Chapel

V & A (2013) A history of the cartoons. Retrieved from

            http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=6342001112216024445#editor/target=post;        postID=8815990837192037755

  

Pope Leo commissioned Raphael’s cartoons around 1515. These works of art are among the greatest of the High Renaissance. They were made by Raphael and his assistance in order to cover the lower walls of the Sistine chapel. The tapestries show the founding of the early Christian church. They depict the scenes of St. Peter and St. Paul. After Raphael had created the drawing s for the tapestries they were woven together and sent to the workshop of Pieter van Aelst to be woven. 

All ten of the tapestries emphasize the pre-eminence of the Roman Church and the legitimacy of the papal succession. When Pope Leo commissioned the tapestries from an Italian renaissance artist he was making a bold move.  He did so by combining the Italian Renaissance painting aesthetics and an old Flemish weaving style. 

In 1632 the cartoons seven of the ten cartoons created were bought by Charles 1 of Britain. Charles commissioned a separate set of tapestries based of Raphael’s. For some reason Charles had the tapestries in strips and enclosed in wooden boxes.  They were long kept like this after his death. 

The cartoons went through so much copying and moving that they slowly became damaged. In the nineteenth century they were used at the British Institution in London for students to copy and study which only damaged the cartoons even more. 

Finally in 1875, the Cartoons were moved to a place they could remain protected from further damages. Queen Victoria had the cartoons sent to the South Kensington Museum. Today this museum is known as the Victoria and Albert museum, or (V&A). The cartoons at the V&A are there to stay and remain highly protected as they should have been earlier to prevent damages.