Raphael’s Rooms
The first room painted by Raphael, the Room of the Segnatura, comes next. It derives its name from the function of the room, as it was the papal library where official acts were signed. The three Neoplatonic categories of Truth, Goodness and Beauty are represented here. The supernatural Truth is represented in the Disputation of the Most Holy Sacrament, rational Truth is in the School of Athens, Goodness is in the figures of Virtues and Law, while Beauty is represented in the Parnassus. The “Disputation of the Most Holy Sacrament” shows below, two groups of ecclesiastics standing on either side of an altar with a monstrance, “discussing” the “truths” of heaven; above, on a cloudborne semi-circle, sit saints and prophets, conversing peacefully, since they could see in Heaven what had already been promised on earth. Christ, with the Madonna and Saint John is above them, with the dove, symbol of the Holy Spirit, at his feet; God the father dominates the whole scene. The floor perspective has its vanishing point in the monstrance, the central point of the composition. The “School of Athens” is one of Raphael’s most famous paintings: two figures, Plato and Aristotle, stand out against an ancient architectural background, probably symbolizing the new St Peter’s. Plato resembles Leonardo and points towards the sky, alluding to the world of ideas, while Aristotle turns down the palm of his hand, a reference to the rational principles of his philosophy. A multitude of philosophers surround these two great thinkers of the ancient world, each resembling men of Raphael’s time. They include Heracleitus (Michelangelo), Euclid (Bramante) who is drawing a geometric figure on the blackboard, Diogenes, almost reclining on the steps, Ptolemy and Zoroaster respectively holding the globe and the celestial sphere in their hands. The second character on the right wearing a green cap is Raphael’s self-portrait. Apollo, surrounded by muses, famous poets and men of letters, is represented in the “Parnassus”. Homer, with his face turned upwards towards the sky, can be seen on the left and Dante is shown
in profile.
The paintings in the last room were commissioned by Leo X Medici (1513-1521) and show famous historical events which occurred during the pontificates of those popes, named “Leo”. The room is named after the main fresco, the “Fire in the Borgo”, representing a miracle performed by Leo IV in 847, when the Pope extinguished a huge fire in the area around the Vatican basilica, simply by appearing at the benediction loggia and making the sign of the cross. The other frescoes realized by great Raphael’s assistants, are: the “Oath of Leo III”, the “Crowning of Charlemagne” by Pope Leo III in the year 800, and “The Battle of Ostia”, showing Leo IV defeating the Saracens in 849 along the Roman coast.
Construction on the “Loggias” began in 1508, under the architect Donato Bramante; after his death (1514), Raphael took over and also painted the frescoes on the second level. Raphael’s pupils assisted with the painting: these frescoes are a pictorial response to Raphael’s rivalry with Michelangelo, since many of the themes taken from the Genesis and represented in the Sistine Chapel are also touched on in the Loggia. 16th century painters Giovanni da Udine, Giulio Romano and Perin del Vaga did the frescoes on the first and third floors. The “grotesque” decorations are particularly noteworthy, with vegetable motifs and bizarre human figures and animals, inspired by paintings in the newly discovered residence of Emperor Nero (54-64), the Domus Aurea.