An allegorical scene with a portrait of a young man, once thought to be a self-portrait of Raphael

An engraving reproducing a painting by Raphael formerly at Cracow and stolen in 1945. The painting (which is depicted in an oval on a pedestal) is surrounded by allegorical figures of Drawing, Sculpture, Painting and Time who is drawing a curtain and unveiling Raphael's 'Transfiguration'. This print is lettered with publication details. Signed by the printmaker. Trimmed within the platemark.

Lettered on the pedestal, with series title, in Latin and in English: 'VII Tabulae / RAPHAELIS URBIN: / Quas Hortatu Pauli Rubenij Eq:...Rex et Regina. / The Seven CARTONS of RAPHAEL URBIN / that King Charles I bought by the Advice of Paul Ruben & which are preserv'd in the Gallery / at Hampton Court erected for that Purpose / by the Order of King WILLIAM & Q. MARY.' This print is the title page to Bowles's "Seven Cartoons", a series reproducing the cartoons executed by Raphael for a set of tapestries illustrating episodes from the lives of St Peter and St Paul commissioned by Pope Leo X for the Sistine Chapel.

The tapestry designs were executed by Raphael and his workshop and transported to Flanders, where the tapestries were woven in the Brussels workshop of Pieter van Aelst. Seven of the tapestry cartoons survive, now in the Victoria and Albert Museum on loan from the Royal Collection. The ten original tapestries, intended to be hung in the Sistine Chapel, are housed in the Vatican Museums. 

Passavant believed the portrait formerly at Cracow to depict Raphael, but various sitters have been suggested (see Bibliographic References). This painting was probably executed during the first two decades of the 16th century. Its provenance can be tracked back to Giulio Romano (who was in possession of the painting probably shortly after the death of Raphael). In 1801, the painting was bought by Prince Czartoryski and it is documented in Poland until the Second World War, when it was probably stolen. It is considered by many art historians as the most important painting missing since World War II. For a photograph of the painting, see RCIN 850028.