Genre
Genre
AFTER PAOLO VERONESE (1528-88)
The Vision of St Helena
after 1853Albumen print | 25.7 x 17.5 cm (sheet of paper) | RCIN 852329
A photograph reproducing in reverse a painting by Paolo Veronese depicting the Vision of St Helena, now in the National Gallery, London (inv. no. NG1041). Not in Ruland (1876). Annotated on the verso.
This painting is inspired by a drawing now in the Uffizi, Florence (inv. no. 1973 F) where is it catalogued as by Raphael. This drawing is dated by Joannides 1514 (see Bibliographic References). This drawing was traditionally catalogued as by Parmigianino (Bartsch suggested a print by Eissenhardt (see RCIN 852328) was after a drawing either by Raphael or Parmigianino). More recently, archival documents have proved the attribution of the drawing to Raphael (see Bibliographic References).
The female figure has been variously interpreted as Danae (on the basis of a later inscription on the drawing) or most likely as the representation of St Helena. According to the story, St Helena, mother of the Emperor Constantine, during her quest to discover the location of the True Cross (the cross on which Christ had been crucified) received divine help whilst dreaming.
In the drawing in the Uffizi the woman is depicted on the left, with various studies for God the Father appearing to Moses and architectural studies for St Peter's Basilica. The first set of studies is related to the composition of 'Moses before the Burning Bush', designed by Raphael and painted in the vault of the Stanza di Eliodoro in the Vatican.
A reference to this photograph appears as a handwritten addition in the master copy of the catalogue. Nevertheless, the photograph is pasted on a folio sheet and the organisation of the Raphael Collection is believed to have been largely completed by 1876.
This painting is inspired by a drawing now in the Uffizi, Florence (inv. no. 1973 F) where is it catalogued as by Raphael. This drawing is dated by Joannides 1514 (see Bibliographic References). This drawing was traditionally catalogued as by Parmigianino (Bartsch suggested a print by Eissenhardt (see RCIN 852328) was after a drawing either by Raphael or Parmigianino). More recently, archival documents have proved the attribution of the drawing to Raphael (see Bibliographic References).
The female figure has been variously interpreted as Danae (on the basis of a later inscription on the drawing) or most likely as the representation of St Helena. According to the story, St Helena, mother of the Emperor Constantine, during her quest to discover the location of the True Cross (the cross on which Christ had been crucified) received divine help whilst dreaming.
In the drawing in the Uffizi the woman is depicted on the left, with various studies for God the Father appearing to Moses and architectural studies for St Peter's Basilica. The first set of studies is related to the composition of 'Moses before the Burning Bush', designed by Raphael and painted in the vault of the Stanza di Eliodoro in the Vatican.
A reference to this photograph appears as a handwritten addition in the master copy of the catalogue. Nevertheless, the photograph is pasted on a folio sheet and the organisation of the Raphael Collection is believed to have been largely completed by 1876.
Creator(s)
After Paolo Veronese (1528-88) (artist)
Associated with Raphael (Urbino 1483-Rome 1520) (draughtsman)
Associated with Marcantonio Raimondi (c. 1480-1534) (engraver)
Associated with Parmigianino (Parma 1503-Casalmaggiore 1540) (draughtsman)
5
long text
25.7 x 17.5 cm (sheet of paper)
Probably acquired for the Prince Consort's Raphael Collection (after 1876)
Subject(s)
- Science, Medicine and Technology
- Construction
- Structural parts of buildings
- Windows
- Window sills
- Windows
- Structural parts of buildings
- Construction
- Religion & Theology
- Religions and faiths
- Religions of antiquity
- Classical mythology
- Danaë (myth)
- Classical mythology
- Religions of antiquity
- Religions and faiths
- Science, Medicine and Technology
Bibliographic reference(s)
p. 441, no. 1973 F (Inventario Uffizi. Disegni Esposti II 1987 : Disegni esposti, vol. 2, 1987 / a cura di Annamaria Petrioli Tofani, Florence (Gabinetto disegni e stampe degli Uffizi) )
p. 219, no. 342r (Joannides 1983 : Joannides, P., 1983. The Drawings of Raphael, with a complete catalogue, Oxford)
