DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.61022#0155
THE FRESCO OF ‘JUSTICE’
to his example; indeed, the absence of anything like direct
imitation has caused the general truth of the story to be uni-
versally accepted. But the resemblance is too striking to be
allowed to pass unnoticed, and it is a proof that both men
in their decorative ideas were merely carrying forward a develop-
ment in the course of painted decoration which followed neces-
sarily as soon as painting began to represent depth as well as
height and breadth. It belongs to exactly the same logical
progress of ideas as the conception, most often connected with
the name of Leonardo, of a single and imaginary space for
each architectural field of decoration, and like this idea it did
not spring upon Italy as something totally new. The idea is
already present in the roof of this very chamber, for it follows
precisely the model of ceilings by Pinturicchio. But, in the
case of this wall, a new impetus and example may have been
given by the discoveries of Roman wall decorations where
imaginary architecture and figures set against a painted sky
are features of one of the most popular forms. Classical works
had been present throughout the history of the Italian Renais-
sance, but it was only when the native artistic development had
reached a certain stage that the whole spirit of the models
could be caught and reproduced.
The subjects chosen for decorative treatment are as much
akin to, but no more scrupulous in their uniformity with, those
of the other walls than is the treatment itself. The semi-histori-
cal, semi-allegorical imagination of the other groups is here split
into its two components, and while the figures of the lunette
are purely allegorical, the subjects of the side pictures are taken
from history. They represent the foundation of Civil and Canon
Law, that on the left showing ‘Justinian presenting the Pandects
to Tribonianus ’ (Plate lxx. [1]), the other, ‘ Gregory ix. deliver-
ing Decretals ’ (Plate lxx. [2]). These are the first purely
historical compositions which Raphael painted, and it is due
to the nature of the subject that the frescoes are comparable
133
to his example; indeed, the absence of anything like direct
imitation has caused the general truth of the story to be uni-
versally accepted. But the resemblance is too striking to be
allowed to pass unnoticed, and it is a proof that both men
in their decorative ideas were merely carrying forward a develop-
ment in the course of painted decoration which followed neces-
sarily as soon as painting began to represent depth as well as
height and breadth. It belongs to exactly the same logical
progress of ideas as the conception, most often connected with
the name of Leonardo, of a single and imaginary space for
each architectural field of decoration, and like this idea it did
not spring upon Italy as something totally new. The idea is
already present in the roof of this very chamber, for it follows
precisely the model of ceilings by Pinturicchio. But, in the
case of this wall, a new impetus and example may have been
given by the discoveries of Roman wall decorations where
imaginary architecture and figures set against a painted sky
are features of one of the most popular forms. Classical works
had been present throughout the history of the Italian Renais-
sance, but it was only when the native artistic development had
reached a certain stage that the whole spirit of the models
could be caught and reproduced.
The subjects chosen for decorative treatment are as much
akin to, but no more scrupulous in their uniformity with, those
of the other walls than is the treatment itself. The semi-histori-
cal, semi-allegorical imagination of the other groups is here split
into its two components, and while the figures of the lunette
are purely allegorical, the subjects of the side pictures are taken
from history. They represent the foundation of Civil and Canon
Law, that on the left showing ‘Justinian presenting the Pandects
to Tribonianus ’ (Plate lxx. [1]), the other, ‘ Gregory ix. deliver-
ing Decretals ’ (Plate lxx. [2]). These are the first purely
historical compositions which Raphael painted, and it is due
to the nature of the subject that the frescoes are comparable
133