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

AFTER PARMIGIANINO (PARMA 1503-CASALMAGGIORE 1540)

The School of Athens

c. 1857

Albumen print? | RCIN 2864429

A photograph of a drawing by Parmigianino now in the Royal Library at Windsor Castle (RCIN 990533). The drawing reproduces the composition of Raphael's 'School of Athens', but with a few significant differences including the absence of the figure of Heraclitus in the centre foreground. The Windsor sheet also differs from Raphael's cartoon (Ambrosiana, Milan) in a few details (i.e., the inclusion of the relief of Philosophy in the architecture to the right). It has been suggested that the Windsor sheet may be a copy after a lost drawing by Raphael. For further discussion, see Bibliographic References.

A copy of this photograph (RCIN 852545) can be found in the Prince Consort's Raphael Collection, portfolio 26 (970585)

Creator(s)

After Parmigianino (Parma 1503-Casalmaggiore 1540) (artist)

After a work copying Raphael (1483-1520) (artist)

Attributed to Charles Thurston Thompson (1816-68) (photographer)
Acquired by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert
Subject(s)
- Places
  Europe
  Italy
  Lazio [Italy]
  Rome [Lazio]
  Vatican City [Rome]
  Vatican Palace [Vatican City]
  Stanza della Segnatura [Vatican Palace]
  Vatican-Stanza della Segnatura-School of Athens
Object type(s)
Bibliographic reference(s)

Weigel 1865 : Weigel, R., 1865. Die Werke der maler in ihren Hand zeichnungen, 2 vols, Leipzig. vol.2, p.587, no.6962

P&W : Popham, A.E. & Wilde, J., 1949. The Italian Drawings of the XV and XVI Centuries in the Collection of His Majesty The King at Windsor Castle, London pp.284-5, no.598r

Haverkamp-Begemann 1988 : Haverkamp-Begemann, E. Creative Copies. Interpretative Drawings from Michelangelo to Picasso, 1988. pp.47-9, no.8 (entry by Judith Cohen)

The School of Athens

Creator(s)

Subject(s)

Object type(s)

Bibliographic reference(s)

Keep in touch

Policy links