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Tapestries

Tapestries

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

Head and outstretched arms of a fleeing woman

c.1853-76

Albumen print | 15.5 x 18.0 cm (sheet of paper) | RCIN 853244

A photograph of a fragment of a preparatory cartoon for the three-panel tapestry of 'The Massacre of the Innocents' now in the Vatican Museums. The fragment, which Ruland (1876) catalogued as being then in the possession of Earl Spencer at Althorp House, went on sale at Sotheby's in New York, 8 June 2007, lot 214. The tapestry forms part of a twelve-piece set depicting scenes from the Life of Christ traditionally known as ‘Scuola Nuova’ (eleven of which survive today in the Vatican Museums). The project was probably commissioned by Pope Leo X, but seems to have been reactivated by Clement VII after his election as pope in 1523. Apparently designed by Raphael’s former assistants after the death of the master (perhaps incorporating some models by Raphael himself), the tapestries were woven in the Brussels workshop of Pieter van Aelst and completed by 1531, when the set was delivered to Rome. Ruland (1876) seemed to accept the view that the ‘Scuola Nuova’ set was a gift to Leo X from Francis I on the occasion of the canonization of Francesco di Paola in 1519. For further discussion, see Bibliographic References.
  • Creator(s)

    After a work by the school of Raphael (Urbino 1483-Rome 1520) (artist)

  • 15.5 x 18.0 cm (sheet of paper)

  • Acquired for the Prince Consort's Raphael Collection (c.1853-76)

  • Subject(s)
    • Religion & Theology
      • Religions and faiths
        • Christianity
          • Bible & Holy Scripture
            • New Testament
  • Bibliographic reference(s)

    pp.616-17 (Cordellier/Py 1992 : Raphael : son atelier, ses copistes, 1992 / par Dominique Cordellier et Bernadette Py, Paris (Inventaire general des dessins Italiens ; V / sous la direction de Francoise Viatte))
    pp.236-41 (Tapestry in the Renaissance 2002 : Tapestry in the Renaissance. Art and Magnificence, ed. Thomas P. Campbell, The Metropolitan Museum of Art 2002)