The Liberation of St. Peter from Prison

The four walls of the room of Heliodorus display four of Raphael’s masterpieces. As I stood in the middle of a room originally intended for private audiences with the Pope, surrounded by Raphael, one piece managed to stand out; the Liberation of St. Peter from prison. In researching this peace I had learned that it was a revolutionary study in night lighting. A nighttime scene didn’t seem like that big of a deal to me when reading about it, after all they are pretty common now. However, Raphael was not only the first to explore the concept, but he mastered it. It is not simply that the lighting used in the painting is different from his others, or even how it feels like you are looking into the night sky, but the lighting helps portray the quietness of night and the miraculous event taking place. The light appears bright and luminous. It is awesome, and I don’t mean the “dude, awesome” way that word tends to be thrown around, but you look up at it and are in awe. I stood there in a silent gaze. The way Raphael captured the beauty of light shining in the darkness of night through the moonlit sky and the majestic light of the angel truly had to be new and revolutionary. 

-Allie

St. Lucy Altarpiece

My first thought walking up to the main panel of the St. Lucy Altarpiece was how much darker it is than what I had been expecting. But this in no way took away from the amazement that struck me as I noticed the great detail Veneziano put into this piece. While I had read that St. Lucy was holding her eyeballs (which according to tradition had been plucked out) on the tablet in her hand they are not clearly visible in photographs. Looking at the painting in person you are able to take in important details like St.Lucy’s eyes, as well as the intricate brushwork that went into creating the furs worn by John the Baptist and the bishop’s clothing. In the Bishop’s robe trim there is incredibly realistic beadwork that really feels three-dimensional. There is also a great deal of detail in the texture of the marble floor and the carpet below Mary. The thin halos used are also more evident in person and have a golden gleam. The detail in this painting is incredible. It held my attention for quite some time and I’m sure if I had studied the piece longer I would have noticed even more of these details. The other important thing to take note of in this piece is the use of the sacred conversation; the figures are engaged with one another. The saints are all responding to Mary. It helps to direct your eye to her and focus your attention on her. 

-Allie

The Sacrifice of Issac

We learned about the 1401 competition for the second bronze doors of the Florentine Baptistry, in class.  Yet it was something altogether different to see the competition panels in person.  Up close you can see the stark contrast of the Sacrifice of Issac from Ghiberti's panel to Flilippo Brunelleschi's.  Both depictions of Issac are skillful, in their own way, but the lightness and harmony conveyed by Ghiberti's panel is unmatched.  He shows a variation of depth, which helps the eye categorize the action.  Nothing competes with the central action, the sacrifice of Issac.  He also referneces ancient art in the servant pulling a thorn from his foot and Issac's idealized figure.  The action and movement all radiats from Abraham and Issac, radiating around the remainder of the work.  Where Brunelleschi's panel shows a single space, with competing figures that hardly fit the frame, and distracting action, Ghiberti's provides a harmonious and unified story that engages the viewer.  I found my eyes continuously returning to Ghiberti's work, captured by a Bible story brought to life.  In person, there is no doubt that Ghiberti's panel was rightfully chosen.

Raphael UP CLOSE

Being jam packed in one of the Pope's stuffy, library rooms in the Vatican Museum and surrounded by Raphael's paintings on all sides of you can be a little overwhelming to say the least. Looking up at specifically, the School of Athens and the Disputa showed a completely different view/angle of this work. I mean, that IS pretty obvious considering we were in a crowded room craning our necks up to see Raphael's masterpieces, as opposed to seeing an image of it straight on in a textbook. This, however, allowed us to see all the small details of the figures Raphael included in the piece. Studying them allowed for the overall view and look of it as a whole. Being up close, especially near the bottom of the paintings, one could appreciate the beauty in all the little details he added; it never demand any kind of attention. We could see more clearly what each philosopher/religious figure was doing or holding in the School of Athens, and in the Disputa, the worldly leaders and religious figures were seen more clearly and the Holy Sacraments that were set up in the center of the piece. It was just kind of awe-inspiring. You walk in thinking it's another room of the Vatican with some more paintings from other fairly famous artists... and then suddenly you realize you are surrounded by THE Raphael masterpieces that are oh, so talked and raved about :). It was a wonderful surprise despite the awful humidity we soaked our way through.

-Kelsey