VATICAN CORNER

Two works of art painted by Raphael, the Renaissance master, have been hiding in plain sight within the Vatican for 500 years, and have now been discovered. Both oil paintings are part of frescos on the walls of the Hall of Constantine, a banquet room in the Apostolic Palace. Constantine was the first Roman emperor to seek baptism in the Christian faith, and the four frescos on the walls in the Hall depict key events in Constantine’s life. Raphael, working under a commission from Pope Julius II, had sketched plans for the Hall, but in 1520, before he could execute his vision, Raphael took sick and died at the age of 37. His students were left to finish the four frescos and it was thought that Raphael didn’t play a part in the final painting. However, research at the Vatican Museums uncovered some 16th century sources referring to two figures painted by Raphael in the Hall of Constantine. In one of the four frescos entitled The Vision of the Cross, there is the figure of a woman in blue labeled Friendship who is next to the seated Pope St. Clement. In another fresco entitled the Battle of the Milivian Bridge, there is a woman labeled Justice who is staring at her set of scales. After the completion of the restoration of the frescos, that began in 2015, which removed dirt and centuries of prior restorations, it became apparent to the experts that both women figures were of much higher quality than the others around them, and were painted by Raphael himself. Both figures were easy to overlook, since they were positioned at the edge of the frescos and away from the main action. Raphael must have painted the figures shortly before his death, leaving plenty of room for his students to work. A new documentary produced by the Vatican Museums and Imago Film entitled “Pope Francis – My Idea of Art” delves into his artistic side, and explores what art personally means to him through a discussion of his favorite works. The art of mercy is Pope Francis’ idea of art, and it is directed to the humble. The 45 minute documentary will be made available in 6 languages through subtitles and is narrated by Pope Francis himself, as well as by Sandro Barbagallo the curator of the Vatican Museusms and by Tiziana Lupi the author of the book on the same subject. The film highlights eleven works of both classical and contemporary art from the Vatican’s collection. The film features drone shots and unique cinematography of St. Peter’s Square, the Basilica, the Sistine Chapel and the Gardens of the Vatican. Among Pope Francis’ chosen works of art are the Belvedere Torso, the Sistine Chapel, a scrap metal statue of Our Lady of Luján by Argentine sculptor Alejandro Marmo, The Deposition by Caravaggio, and a 1984 Renault car. According to Francis, these works of art contrast with the current culture of waste and point toward a way of preaching the Gospel and raising up the beauty of God’s creation and seek to recover what others have thrown away.

Sources: ewtnnews.com, smithsonianmag.com, aleteia.org, catholicnews.com