The residence of the Pope, continuing the Vatican Temple, consists of various rooms, which number more than a thousand. The Apostolic Palace (Residenza Papale) is famous for its richly decorated halls, which store the great treasures of a small state.
Perhaps the most famous are those that housed the true masterpieces - the Sistine Chapel with frescoes made by Michelangelo himself, and called the standard of fine art of the Renaissance, Raphael's stanzas. The Vatican during this period fought for both spiritual and secular authority, and all the works of the Renaissance were supposed to strengthen the authority of the Catholic Church and its head.
The most visited place by tourists is four rooms painted by the great master. Stanze di Raffaello, located one after another in the old part of the palace, delight tourists with their harmonious beauty and deep meaning.
Residence for the new dad
When Pope Julius II ascended the throne, he did not want to live in the apartments occupied by the previous supreme ruler, but chose a comfortable room in the old palace. The head of the Vatican dreamed of turning his residence into a real work of art, and in 1503 he invited the very best Italian artists to paint the interiors of his office with frescoes.
True, the work did not please Julius II, and he ordered to wash off the creations of the masters with vexation. Five years later, the project manager, architect Bramante, showed dad the sketches of the young painter Rafael, which led him into complete delight. The pontiff called out a 25-year-old artist from Florence, who had high hopes, and entrusted him with painting future living quarters in the palace, which later became known to the whole world as Rafael's stanza.
Pope wanted to see images glorifying the church, including praising the activities of Julius II himself. It must be admitted that the painter brilliantly coped with the mission assigned to him and created immortal masterpieces that have become real treasures of world art.
Stanza della Senyatur Rafael
The majestic frescoes brought recognition and fame to the young talent, as well as the title of founder of a new direction in art - "Roman Classicism". Rafael, who received the right to paint the apartment from the pope, began with a room called Stanza della Segnatura (Signature Hall), and work continued until 1511. It is believed that in this hall, the name of which is not connected with the work of the master, there was a papal reception room or library, and here Julius II wanted to see a reconciliation between antiquity and Christianity.
Main fresco Athens School
Rafael’s stanzas are dedicated to the spiritual improvement of people and divine justice. The master created four frescoes, of which the Athens School is considered the best, according to art critics. Two ancient philosophers, Plato and Aristotle, are central figures symbolizing the world of ideas living in higher spheres, closely connected with earthly experience.
They argue about where the truth comes from and the various methods of understanding it. Plato, lifting his hand up, advocates the philosophy of idealism, and Aristotle, pointing to the earth, explains the merits of the empirical method of cognition. The fresco characters are extremely similar to the heroes of the Middle Ages, which emphasizes the close relationship between ancient philosophers and the theology of the time.
Three works full of symbolism
The fresco "Disputation" is a story about the heavenly church and the earthly, and the composition takes place in two planes. God the father and his son Jesus, the Virgin Mary and John the Baptist, as well as the dove symbolizing the Holy Spirit, coexist with an army of priests and secular inhabitants, among whom you can recognize the Italian thinker Dante Alighieri. Rafael depicted the conversations that the characters conduct about the sacrament of communion. And its symbol - guest (bread) - is in the center of the composition. By its beauty, this painting is recognized as one of the most advanced works in painting.
On the fresco “Parnassus” beautiful Apollo flaunts, surrounded by dear muses and great poets of that era. This is the embodiment of an ideal kingdom, where art is paramount.
The last fresco tells of justice, and it depicts in an allegorical form Wisdom, Strength and Moderation, as well as a portrait of Pope Julius II himself, present at the base of canonical and civil law.
Stanza d'Eliodoro
After the artist finishes painting the first room, he proceeds to the second, devoted to the theme of divine protection. Work on Stanza di Eliodoro coincided with a period of political instability. And then he decides to create a whole cycle of frescoes that would inspire Christians and talk about the protection of the Lord through faith, inspired by Rafael Santi.
Papa liked the stanzas with stories on historical events and miracles so much that he renamed the room by the name of one of the frescoes - “The Expulsion of Eliodor from the Temple”, which depicts a heavenly horseman punishing the Syrian king trying to steal gold. The left side shows Julius II, who is carried to the criminal.
"Mass in Bolsena" tells of a miracle that shocked the parishioners. The unbelieving priest, who took up the tortilla used in the sacrament ritual, discovered that it was the flesh of Christ bleeding. The fresco also shows the pope kneeling before the sign of God during the service.
The miraculous release of the disciple of Jesus from captivity with the help of an angel is imprinted in the composition "Exaltation of St. Peter from the Dungeon." This is a very interesting work in terms of complex angles, as well as the play of light and shadow.
And the fourth fresco is dedicated to the meeting of Pope Leo I with the leader of the Huns Attila.
Stanza Incendio di Borgo
This is the last room that Rafael Santi personally worked on. The stanzas in the Vatican were painted for several years (1513 - 1515), and the plots of the frescoes are related to real events taking place in the history of the Holy See. After the death of Julius II, Pope Leo X was crowned. The pontiff liked the painter's previous works so much that he ordered the dining room to be painted, which later became known as Stanza dell'Incendio di Borgo.
The most significant fresco is considered the “Fire in Borgo”. The territory of the district of the same name was completely engulfed in fire, and Pope Leo IV, who stopped the elements with the sign of the Cross, saved the believing population of the Italian city.
Rafael Stanzas: Constantine Hall
I must say that Rafael, busy with other projects, entrusted part of the work in the third room to his students, who painted the fourth apartment, Stanza di Constantino, after the death of a brilliant creator at the age of 37.
In 1517, the master received an order to decorate the last room used for lush banquets, but the artist only had time to prepare sketches, and the talented followers of the master performed frescoes on the theme of the victory of Emperor Constantine over paganism. Four compositions tell of the power that the ruler received, who made Christianity the official religion, over the entire Roman Empire. Despite the fact that Rafael’s students performed the stanza of Constantine in his drawings, and not himself, the hall still refers to the works of the great master.
A masterpiece of world art
Rafael's stanzas at the Vatican Museum delight visitors with talented performance, attention to detail and realism. This is a unique work of art, the plots of which touch on extremely important topics - human activity, his spiritual perfection and self-knowledge.
To get acquainted with the works of Raphael, you must visit the museum complex, entrance to which is possible with a single ticket worth 16 euros.