French School Of The XIX Century, By Raffaello Sanzio, Poetry And Theology

French school of the XIX century, by Raffaello Sanzio (Urbino, 1483 - Rome, 1520)

Poetry and Theology

(2) Gouache «in the round» in wooden frame and gilded stucco, diameter cm 21.5

With frame, cm 41.5 x 37.5

The French neoclassical artist responsible for the execution of these two beautiful gouaches takes up the famous model of the round mosaics made by Raphael Sanzio for the Room of the Signature in the Vatican around 1508-1509: among the first works executed by the young and promising Raphael in Rome, the two rounds for the vault of the Segnatura appear to be among the masterpieces of the season of the first Raffaello maturity. In the first of the two rounds, that of poetry, the muse is represented as sitting on a marble bench with carved heads on the arms between clouds, with two putti holding biansate tables with inscriptions: NUMINE AFFLATUR: This is a quotation from the Aeneid of Virgil. She is crowned with laurel and holds a book and the lira, symbol of the art of which she is the personification. There are some preparatory drawings for his figure: one also related to Theology, in the Ashmolean Museum of Oxford, and one with already attributes in hand, in the Royal Library of Windsor Castle. In the second round is depicted the personification of theology: sitting on a throne of clouds and wearing a robe inflated by the wind, red, green and white, the colors of the theological virtues of charity, hope and faith. On the sides there are two putti holding biansate tables with inscriptions: DIVINA[RUM] RER[UM] NOTITIA. This is a quotation from Justinian. There is a preparatory drawing for the putto of right (Lille, Palais des Beaux-Arts). The character of Raphael - considered an unprecedented artistic genius and comparisons - fascinates particularly the artists of the nineteenth century, who in his works find the roots of that pure and ideal classicism they aim to find in their works of art.