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Exhibitions and records of works of art

Prince Albert recognised the importance of photography to record and document notable exhibitions and works of art

AFTER RAPHAEL (URBINO 1483-ROME 1520)

A sibyl

1858

Albumen print? | RCIN 2864332

A photograph of a drawing by Raphael in the Albertina, Vienna (inv.no.181) for the figure of the sibyl on the far right-hand side of the fresco The four sibyls painted by the workshop of Raphael c.1511-14 in the Chigi Chapel in Santa Maria della Pace, Rome. Annotated on verso.

Raphael was commissioned, probably early in 1511, by the banker Agostino Chigi to decorate his chapel in Santa Maria della Pace. The initial plan of decoration for the chapel included frescoes, two bronze roundels and an altarpiece; however, whilst Raphael executed some designs for the altarpiece, which was to depict the resurrection, it was never executed, and the bronze roundels, whilst cast, appear to never have been installed. The frescoes comprise two registers, with four prophets on the top  (flanking a window) and four sybils below. According to Vasari, portions of the frescoes were painted by Timoteo Viti.

A copy of this photograph (RCIN 853829) can be found in the prince Consort's Raphael Collection, portfolio 41 (970601)

  • Creator(s)

    After Raphael (Urbino 1483-Rome 1520) (artist)

    Attributed to Florence : Alinari (photographer)

  • Acquired by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert

  • Subject(s)
    • Religion & Theology
      • Religions and faiths
        • Religions of antiquity
          • Classical mythology
            • Sibyls (myth)
  • Bibliographic reference(s)

    Joannides 1983 : Joannides, P., 1983. The Drawings of Raphael, with a complete catalogue, Oxford
    no.303

    Jones/Penny 1983 : Jones, R. and Penny, N. Raphael, 1983
    pp.100-105