Other Frescoes
Other Frescoes
AFTER A WORK BY THE WORKSHOP OF RAPHAEL (URBINO 1483-ROME 1520)
The Banquet of the Gods
c.1510-1570Engraving | 33.2 x 70.0 cm (sheet of paper) | RCIN 853972
An engraving in reverse of the fresco depicting the Banquet of the Gods from the vault of the entrance loggia of the Farnesina, Agostino Chigi's villa in Rome, which was frescoed with mythological subjects by Raphael's workshop c.1518. This print is lettered at the lower left corner: " ·VRBI·"; at the lower right corner: "Ant.Sal.exc". Bartsch describes probably a second state of this print, formed of two plates, with the one at the left inscribed: "RAPHA.VRBI.INVEN.EXCUDEBAT; ANT. SALAMANCA. 1545." ; the one on the right inscribed: "Ant.Sal.exc." Therefore, this is probably a version of the second state of the print, with the inscription on the left plate partially removed (see Bibliographic References). Trimmed within platemark.
The fresco decoration in the Farnesina illustrates the classical fable of Cupid and Psyche, a story which was also frequently used to decorate Florentine wedding chests. Raphael's fresco scheme comprises two primary scenes in the vault (painted to resemble tapestries), accompanied by a series of episodes painted in the pendentives. The whole is encompassed within a fictive pergola, which gives the viewer the impression of looking up into the heavens. Only the upper part of the loggia is painted (the vault and its supporting pendentives and spandrels).
The fresco decoration in the Farnesina illustrates the classical fable of Cupid and Psyche, a story which was also frequently used to decorate Florentine wedding chests. Raphael's fresco scheme comprises two primary scenes in the vault (painted to resemble tapestries), accompanied by a series of episodes painted in the pendentives. The whole is encompassed within a fictive pergola, which gives the viewer the impression of looking up into the heavens. Only the upper part of the loggia is painted (the vault and its supporting pendentives and spandrels).
Creator(s)
After a work by the workshop of Raphael (Urbino 1483-Rome 1520) (artist)
Antonio Salamanca (1500-62) (publisher)
33.2 x 70.0 cm (sheet of paper)
Added to the Prince Consort's Raphael Collection (c.1853-76)
Bibliographic reference(s)
pp. 152-153, n.14-15 (Raphael Invenit 1985 : Bernini Pezzini, G. et al., 1985. Raphael Invenit. Stampe di Raffaello nelle Collezioni dell'Istituto Nazionale per la Grafica, Rome)
pp.183-89 (Jones/Penny 1983 : Jones, R. and Penny, N. Raphael, 1983)
