Stanza della Segnatura: The Parnassus Raphael (1483-1520)

Description of Raphael Santi’s painting "Parnassus"

The painting was created between 1509 and 1511.

Raphael dedicated his fresco to the timeless theme of poetry. At the very center we see the famous Parnassus. Apollo is playing a flute. He is surrounded by muses. Each of them is holding the object with which she is usually depicted. All the literati and poets of the different eras are gathered here.

The painter sought to convey the magical effect of the music. He would use this motif in his work more than once. The first attempt he makes is in the creation of "Parnassus". This work combines the utmost elegance and true grandeur. It’s hard to find a more harmonious combination of the two.

The composition of the painting is multi-figured. Want to consider it, figuring out who had the honor to be depicted on this genuine masterpiece. In front of the viewer are incredibly complex groups of spatial type, formed by sages, philosophers and poets. They are placed amidst a grandiose landscape and scenery that amazes with the splendor of architectural forms.

The strict symmetry of the arranged groups gives everything depicted by the artist a harmonious unity. There is no sense of disconnection. All characters are united by the important theme of art and its impact on human beings.

The richness of the colors is impressive. Raphael masterfully paints each figure. The portrait resemblance to the people he portrays is of the utmost importance to him. This is necessary so that the viewer can understand the artist’s intent. People’s outfits are painted incredibly meticulously. The folds of the fabrics are almost tangible.

Raphael shows us his own ideal world in which only the wisdom of each person, his self-confidence, is important. We see what the artist has dreamed of for so long. A man must be noble and necessarily free. The painting "Parnassus" is not by chance a true masterpiece, impressing a generation of viewers.