A design of the interior of St Peter's Basilica

An etching depicting a plan of the interior of the Basilica of St Peter in the Vatican City, based on Raphael's project. This print was published by Carlo Pontani in "Opere architettoniche di Raffaello Sanzio, incise e dichiarate dall'Architetto Carlo Pontani", published in two volumes in 1841 and 1845. The print is lettered with the title in Italian and two scales. Signed by the printmaker. Annotated on the verso.

As is specified in the title of this print, this design is an invention of the printmaker, based on a plan by Raphael published by Sebastiano Serlio in the third book of "On Antiquity" in 1584 (fl. 65 r) (see Bibliographic References). See RCIN 854112 for the same plan by Raphael published by Pontani.

Raphael was appointed architect director of the St Peter's workshop in 1514, following the death of Bramante, who had been in charge of the architectural plans c.1505-1506, together with Giuliano da Sangallo and later Fra Giocondo, a renowned theorist at the time. Baldassarre Peruzzi was also involved with the workshop, possibly from the time of Bramante as an assistant, but certainly as the chief architect together with Antonio da Sangallo, after the death of Raphael (see Bibliographic References). In 1546 Michelangelo became the architect and also designed a new dome, the construction of which continued for some decades after Michelangelo's death in 1564. The Basilica - completed with the project led by Carlo Maderno, chief architect from 1603 - was finally consecrated in 1626. Bernini worked on the square and the colonnade later in the seventeen century.