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The Transfiguration by Raphael
Raphael’s Last and Greatest Work
13 Interesting Facts
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Artist: RAFFAELLO Sanzio (Raphael)
Date: 1518-1520
Medium: Oil on wood
Size: 405 x 278 cm
Current Location: Pinacoteca, Vatican (Vatican Museum)
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13 Interesting Facts about The Transfiguration by Raphael
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1
The Transfiguration is the last painting by the famous Italian master artist Raphael.
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2
Raphael worked on The Transfiguration until his death on Good Friday, April 6, 1520, at age 37.
Raphael was also born on Good Friday.
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3
Raphael considered the Transfiguration to be his greatest masterpiece.
He was so proud of it that it was prominently displayed behind his deathbed.
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4
It was commissioned by Cardinal Giulio de Medici who later became Pope Clement VII (1523–1534).
It was meant to be an altarpiece for the Narbonne Cathedral in France.
It is now located in the Vatican Museum in the Vatican.
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5
Raphael’s painting depicts two consecutive biblical stories from the Gospel of Matthew (and also found in the Gospel of Mark.)
The top section shows the Transfiguration of Christ.
The Transfiguration of Christ is where Moses and Elijah appear before the transfigured Christ with Peter, James, and John looking on (Matthew 17:1–9; Mark 9:2–13).
The painting shows the Transfiguration on Mount Tabor with the transfigured Christ floating in front of bright clouds, between Moses representing The Law on the right, and Elijah representing The Prophets on the left.
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6
The two figures kneeling on the left in the top section are commonly identified as Justus and Pastor who share August 6 as a feast day with the Feast of the Transfiguration.
These saints were the patrons of the cathedral for which the painting was intended.
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7
The upper part of the painting also includes, from left to right, James, Peter, and John, traditionally read as symbols of faith, hope, and love; hence the symbolic colors of blue-yellow, green, and red for their robes.
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8
The lower section shows the Apostles failing to cure a boy of demons and awaiting the return of the Transfigured Christ who performs the miracle. (Matthew 17:14–21; Mark 9:14).
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9
The brightness of the family in the lower section symbolizes their faith.
The boy and his family are on the right. The 9 apostles are on the left.
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10
The brightest figure in the lower painting is the woman kneeling next to the boy and pointing at him. She represents Faith.
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11
While the light on the family and woman expresses their belief, the remaining 9 Apostles on the left side are wrapped in shadow to symbolize their lack of faith that prevented them from casting out the devil.
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12
The man lower left is the apostle-evangelist Matthew, writing everything down for his Gospel account.
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13
As his last work before this death, Raphael (which in Hebrew רָפָאֵל [Rafa’el] means “God has healed”), joins the 2 scenes together as his final testament to the healing power of Christ.
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The Transfiguration by Raphael
