Passavant, Johann David: Raphael of Urbino and his father Giovanni Santi (London , New York: MacMillan and Co., 1872)

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^sr /w^r ^<? s//°^s ^l/sr/Z?^.
blicbael Angelo, vbo vas at krst entrusted vitb tbs superintendence of tbe
paintings of tbs Listine Lbapel, decorated tbe ceiling vitb six subjects taken from
tbe bistor/ of tbe creation of mankind; and beside tbsse grand scriptural scenes
placed tbs propbets and sibyls vbo foresaw tbe advent of tbe Vlessiab. In tbe
narrow space above tbs windows be represented tbe waiting in bope of tbe
ancestors of Lbrist, and in tbe corners of tbe ceiling tbe miraculous deliverance of
tbs people ot Israel. IVben Lapbael tberelors received orders to carr/ out
Angelo's great conception in cartoons to be reproduced in tapestry, be determined
to represent tbe foundation of tbe Latbolic Lburcb, and to kll tbe lover part of
tbe lateral vails vitb ten subjects taken from tbs lives of tbs apostles Beter and
Baul and from tbat of Lt. Ltepben, tbe 6rst Lbristian mart/r.
Bor tbs decoration of tbe altar be proposed to paint tbe " (Coronation of tbe
Virgin," as a symbol of buman perfection, Dater Vlicbael Vngelo completed bis
vast bistoric poem b/ tbs grand fresco of tbe Bast judgment.
Ike cartoons for tbe Listine tapestries vere executed b/ Hapbael in 15 iZ and
1Z16; and, according to Vasari, be vas assisted in bis vork b/ Brancesco Benni
and (liovanni da Udine. Bbe cartoons vere sent to ^.rras in tbe Dow (Countries
and copied in tapestry under tbe superintendence of Bernard Van Orle/. In
1Z18, tbe tapestries arrived in Dome, and in tbe following /ear tbe/ vere exbibited
in tbe Listine cbapel. Ike/ bavs undergone various vicissitudes and bavs unfortu-
nately suffered considerably, ^.fter tbs pillage of Homs b/ tbs troops of Lkarles V.
in 1527, tb severe carried off as spoils of var, and for a time vere bidden at D/ons
and offered for sals in tbat tovn in iZzo. Dater tbe/ became tbe property of
Constable Nontmorenc/, vbo bad tbem restored, and in iZZZ returned tbem to
Bope Julius III., as being tbs property of tbe Dol/ Lee; tbe/ vere not, bovever,
again placed in tbe Listine Obapel but vers exbibited annually on tbe da/ of tbs
Beast of Lorpus Lbristi. Ike)' vere once mors stolen, togetber vitb Bapbael's
otber tapestries, in tbe Devolution of 1789, and passed into tbe bands of some
Jews, vbo are said to bave proposed burning tbem for tbs sake of tbe gold in tbem;
but as tbs experiment tbe/ tried vitb one, tbe " Deliverance from Dell," vas
unsuccessful, tbe/ sold tbe rest to some mercbants of Oenoa. In 1808, Bius VII.
bougbt tbem, and in 1814 tbe/ vers placed in tbe Vatican, vbere tbe/ nov are.
186.
Bur: lVliLLcnnons o^ BisnLS.
Ibis tapestr/ vas placed on tbe left of tbe altar beneatb tbs " Binding of
Noses," vbicb vas aftsrvards destro/ed to make room for lVlicbael Vngslo's
"Dast Judgment."
Jesus is seated in a boat addressing Beter, vbo kneels before Kim; bekind
tbs Saviour stands anotber apostle, and in a second boat tvo more disciples are
draving in tbe nets, vbilst a tbird bolds tbe belm. ^.t tbe edge of tbe vater are
tbree cranes; and in tbs distance, near a tovn, vs see crowds ol people.