The residence of the Pope, continuing the Vatican temple, consists of various rooms, of which there are more than a thousand. The Apostolic Palace (Residenza Papale) is famous for its richly decorated halls, which contain the great treasures of a small state.
Perhaps, the most famous are those where genuine masterpieces are located - the Sistine Chapel with frescoes made by Michelangelo himself, and Raphael's Stanzas, called the standard of fine art of the Renaissance. The Vatican during this period fought for both spiritual and secular power, 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 the four rooms painted by the great master. Stanze di Raffaello, located one after another in the old part of the palace, delight tourists with harmonious beauty and deep meaning.
Residence for the new pope
When Pope Julius II came to the throne, he did notwanted to live in the apartments occupied by the previous supreme ruler, and chose a cozy 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 best Italian artists to fresco the interiors of his office.
True, the work did not please Julius II, and he angrily ordered to wash away the creations of the masters. Five years later, the project manager, the architect Bramante, showed dad the sketches of the young painter Raphael, which led him to complete delight. The pontiff summoned a 25-year-old artist from Florence, who showed great promise, and entrusted him with painting the future living quarters in the palace, which later became known throughout the world as Raphael's stanzas.
The 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 entrusted to him and created immortal masterpieces that have become real treasures of world art.
Stanza della Senyatura Raphael
The majestic frescoes brought recognition and fame to the young talent, as well as the title of the founder of a new direction in art - "Roman classicism". Raphael, who received from the pope the right to paint apartments, began with a room called the Stanza della Segnatura (Signature Hall), and work continued until 1511. It is believed that in this hall, the name of which is not associated with the work of the master, there was a reception room for the pope or a library, and hereJulius II wanted to see reconciliation between antiquity and Christianity.
Main fresco "School of Athens"
Raphael's stanzas are dedicated to the spiritual perfection of people and divine justice. The master created four frescoes, of which the best, according to art historians, is considered to be the School of Athens. Two ancient philosophers, Plato and Aristotle, are the central figures, symbolizing the world of ideas living in higher spheres, closely connected with earthly experience.
They are arguing about where truth comes from and the different methods of reaching it. Plato, raising his hand up, stands for the philosophy of idealism, and Aristotle, pointing to the ground, explains the merits of the empirical method of knowledge. The fresco characters are extremely similar to the heroes of the Middle Ages, which emphasizes the close relationship between ancient philosophers and theology of that time.
Three works full of symbolism
The “Dispute” fresco is a story about a heavenly church and an earthly one, and the action of 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, side by side with a whole army of priests and lay people, among whom one can recognize the Italian thinker Dante Alighieri. Raphael depicted the conversations that the characters have about the sacrament of the sacrament. And its symbol - host (bread) - is in the center of the composition. By its beauty, this painting is recognized as one of the most perfect works in painting.
Onthe fresco "Parnassus" flaunts the beautiful Apollo, surrounded by charming muses and great poets of that era. This is the embodiment of an ideal kingdom where art is at the forefront.
The last fresco is about justice and depicts Wisdom, Strength and Temperance in allegorical form, as well as a portrait of Pope Julius II himself present at the founding of canon and civil law.
Stanza d'Eliodoro
After the artist finishes painting the first room, he proceeds to the second, dedicated to the theme of divine protection. Work on the 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 tell about the protection of the Lord through faith, inspired by Rafael Santi.
The stanzas with stories about historical events and miracles so pleased the pope that he renamed the room after the name of one of the frescoes - “The Expulsion of Eliodor from the Temple”, which depicts a heavenly horseman punishing the Syrian king who is trying to steal gold. The left side depicts Julius II being carried to the criminal.
"Mass in Bolsena" tells of a miracle that shocked the parishioners. An unbelieving priest, who took the cake used in the rite of communion in his hands, found that it was the flesh of Christ, bleeding. The fresco also depicts the pope kneeling before the sign of God during the service.
The miraculous liberation of Jesus' disciple from captivity with the help of an angel is captured in the composition"Bringing Saint Peter Out of the Prison". 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 over several years (1513-1515), and the subjects of the frescoes are related to real events that took 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 to paint the dining room, which later became known as the Stanza dell'Incendio di Borgo.
The most significant fresco is 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.
Raphael's Stations: Constantine Hall
It must be said 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 the brilliant creator at the age of 37.
In 1517, the master received an order to decorate the last room used for magnificent banquets, but the artist only had time to prepare sketches, and the frescoes on the theme of Emperor Constantine's victory over paganism were made by talented followers of the master. Four compositions tell about the power thatreceived the ruler, who made Christianity the official religion, over the entire Roman Empire. Despite the fact that the stanza of Constantine was performed by Raphael's students according to his drawings, and not by himself, the hall still belongs to the works of the great master.
Masterpiece of world art
Raphael's stanzas in the Vatican Museum delight visitors with their talented performance, attention to detail and realism. This is a unique work of art, the plots of which touch upon extremely important topics - human activity, his spiritual development and self-knowledge.
To get acquainted with the works of Raphael, you must visit the museum complex, the entrance to which is possible with a single ticket worth 16 euros.
