Tapestries
Tapestries
The Ascension of Christ
c.1863-1900Engraving | 48.8 x 45.6 cm (platemark) | RCIN 853301
Lettered with artists' and printer's names below image. With coat of arms at lower centre, and head of an angel at lower right (detail from the tapestry). With pencil annotations on the front. Proof state before title and dedication. Described as from Pietro de Brognoli's series of prints after Raphael's Stanze frescoes and Vatican tapestries dated 1874 (Höper 2001). Not in Ruland (1876).
The ‘Scuola Nuova’ set was probably commissioned by Pope Leo X, but the project 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 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)
Filippo de Sanctis (b. 1843) (engraver)
After a work by the workshop of Raphael (Urbino 1483-Rome 1520) (designer)
Nicola Ortis (19th Century) (designer)
Angelo Biggi (active 19th century) (printer)
258 B IX 2b
48.8 x 45.6 cm (platemark)
Added to the Prince Consort's Raphael Collection (after 1876)
Subject(s)
- Religion & Theology
- Religions and faiths
- Christianity
- Life of Christ
- Ascension of Christ
- Life of Christ
- Christianity
- Religions and faiths
- Religion & Theology
Bibliographic reference(s)
pp.142-3,, no.IX.2 (entry by Grazia Bernini Pezzini) (Raphael Invenit 1985 : Bernini Pezzini, G. et al., 1985. Raphael Invenit. Stampe di Raffaello nelle Collezioni dell'Istituto Nazionale per la Grafica, Rome)
p.507, no.H 22.3 (Höper 2001 : Höper, C. Raffael und die Folgen, Hatje Cantz Verlag, 2001)
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)