Raphael, An Allegory (Vision of a Knight)

ca 1504

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Raphael-an-Allegory

Overview

Medium: Oil
Support: Poplar
Size: 17.1 x 17.3 cm
Art period: High Renaissance

National Gallery London
NG213

 

The allegory depicted by Raphael in this miniature painting shows a dreaming knight surrounded by two women representing the two contesting concepts of Virtue and Pleasure (2). The most probable source for this allegory is a passage in an epic poem Punica by the Roman poet Silius Italicus (25 – 110 AD) about the young soldier Scipio and his dream (3).

Pigments

Pigment Analysis

This pigment analysis is based on the work of the scientists at the National Gallery London (1). The results of the investigation have been published in references (1) and (2) and all the microscopic images of cross-sections, the infrared and x-ray images are included in the website of the Raphael Research Project of the National Gallery London (3).

 

Raphael-an-Allegory-pigments

 

1 Pale blue sky and the distant mountains: natural ultramarine mixed with white.

Raphael-an-Allegory-pigments-1

 

2 Pale green landscape: lead-tin yellow and a green pigment, probably verdigris, and a small amount of natural ultramarine.
3 Stronger green landscape in the middle: verdigris and a small amount of black.

Raphael-an-Allegory-pigments-2-3

 

4 Greenish-blue foliage of the tree: azurite, verdigris, and a yellow pigment. The highlights are painted in lead-tin yellow.

Raphael-an-Allegory-pigments-4

 

5 Rocks in the middle: lead white with small amounts of natural ultramarine, black and yellow.

Raphael-an-Allegory-pigments-5

 

6 Light greenish-grey foreground:  lead white with small amounts of natural ultramarine, azurite, black and yellow.

Raphael-an-Allegory-pigments-6

 

7 Green sash of Virtue, at the left: verdigris and lead-tin yellow.
8 Yellow and pink parts of the sleeves of Virtue: red lake, and red ochre mixed with white over a lead-tin yellow underpaint.
9 Brownish parts of the sleeves: orpiment and red ochre with highlights in lead-tin yellow.

Raphael-an-Allegory-pigments-7-8-9

 

10 Blue dress of Virtue: purplish underlayer consisting of natural ultramarine, red lake, and white. The top layer contains natural ultramarine with varying amounts of white.

Raphael-an-Allegory-pigments-10

 

11 Headdress of Virtue: natural ultramarine and white with a trace of red lake.

Raphael-an-Allegory-pigments-11

 

12 Tunic of the sleeping knight: high-quality natural ultramarine.
13 Leather parts of the armor: orpiment.
14 Green cloak of the knight: lead-tin yellow mixed with verdigris and a green glaze.
15 Orange hose: underlayer of red lake and white partially covered with a layer of yellow ochre and orpiment.

Raphael-an-Allegory-pigments-12-13-14-15

 

16 Cool grey armor: white and black with a small addition of natural ultramarine.
17 Shoes of the knight: grey-mauve underlayer of red lake and white partially covered with a layer of yellow ochre and orpiment.

Raphael-an-Allegory-pigments-16-17

 

18 Red shield: modeled underlayer of orange-red vermilion with a red lake glaze.

Raphael-an-Allegory-pigments-18

 

19 Red underdress of Pleasure, at the right: undermodelling containing pure natural ultramarine and lead white. The upper glaze consists of a red lake with small amounts of vermilion.
20 Pleasure’s pink and blue drapery: white, red lake, and some natural ultramarine with an ultramarine glaze for the bluest areas.

Raphael-an-Allegory-pigments-19-20

 

21 Flesh paints: lead white, red lake, and a little vermilion.

Raphael-an-Allegory-pigments-21

 

References

(1) Roy, A., Spring, M., Plazzotta, C. ‘Raphael’s Early Work in the National Gallery: Paintings before Rome‘. National Gallery Technical Bulletin Vol 25, pp 4–35. Available as pdf.

(2) Marika Spring, Raphael’s Materials: Some New Discoveries and their Context within Early Sixteenth-Century Painting, Eu-ARTECH Raphael Workshop, National Gallery London, 2004. Available as pdf.

Resources

See the collection of online and offline resources such as books, articles, videos, and websites on Raphael in the section ‘Resources on Painters

PowerPoint Presentations

Resources-Raphael-Painter-in-context

Painter in Context: Raphael

A richly illustrated presentation on the Italian Renaissance painter Raphael Santi containing information on painting technique, pigments employed, and important written and online resources.

Number of slides: 16
Formats included in the download: PowerPoint Screen Presentation (ppsx) and pdf

Videos

Video: 'Raphael, An Allegory (Vision of a Knight)' by Avery Rowland

Publications and Websites

Publications

(1) Roy, A., Spring, M., Plazzotta, C. ‘Raphael’s Early Work in the National Gallery: Paintings before Rome‘. National Gallery Technical Bulletin Vol 25, pp 4–35. Available as pdf.

(2) Marika Spring, Raphael’s Materials: Some New Discoveries and their Context within Early Sixteenth-Century Painting, Eu-ARTECH Raphael Workshop, National Gallery London, 2004. Available as pdf.

(3) Hugo Chapman, Tom Henry and Carol Plazzotta, Raphael – from Urbino to Rome, exhibition catalog, National Gallery London, 2004. Available as pdf.

Websites

 Studying Raphael, Raphael Research Resource, National Gallery London.