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Other Frescoes

Other Frescoes

AFTER A WORK BY THE WORKSHOP OF RAPHAEL (URBINO 1483-ROME 1520)

The Council of the Gods

c.1920-1960

Gelatine silver print | 9.2 x 7.5 cm (sheet of paper) | RCIN 853965

A photograph of a print which appears to reproduce, in reverse, the fresco depicting the Council 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. Not in Ruland (1876).

The print (which is probably an etching) appears to be lettered with attribution of the composition to Raphael, and bears the following publication line: "Si Stampa in Roma da Gio. Batta. de Rossi Milanese in piazza navona". This publication line would suggest that the print was published in the mid seventeenth century. There is also lettering or an annotation in the bottom right corner which is illegible.

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)

    After a work associated with Giovanni Battista De Rossi (c. 1601-1678) (publisher)

  • 9.2 x 7.5 cm (sheet of paper)

  • Added to the Prince Consort's Raphael Collection (after 1876)

  • Bibliographic reference(s)

    pp.183-89 (Jones/Penny 1983 : Jones, R. and Penny, N. Raphael, 1983)