Transfiguration of Christ Raphael (1483-1520)

Description of Raphael Santi’s painting The Transfiguration of the Lord

Raphael Santi was a famous Renaissance artist who painted in his short 37 years, many world famous paintings. Raphael’s greatest fame came from his painting of the Transfiguration of the Lord, or the Transfiguration of Christ in another interpretation. The huge canvas was commissioned for the Catholic cathedral in Narbonne, Cardinal Giulio de’ Medici himself in 1517.

The artist began work on the painting and at the same time painted a canvas personally for the cardinal. For his picture the artist used a well-known biblical story described in the Gospels, which tells that Christ decided to show his disciples his true identity. As the scripture says, Jesus took the three apostles Peter, James and Jakeem and led them up a high mountain where he transfigured himself in front of them, appearing in a luminous image surrounded by a divine halo. Then the voice of God sounded, confirming to the apostles that Jesus was his true and only son.

Coming down the mountain, the apostles and Jesus meet a crowd of people who accompany the father and his son, who is possessed by the devil, to ask Christ for his cure.

And here begins the plot of Raphael’s painting recounting this moment.

In the foreground are the apostles, reclining in various poses as they await the descent of Christ. Jesus himself is hovering in a circle of light above the rest of the people, he is weightless and beautiful. The people stretch out their hands to him, and the old man and the boy stand still waiting to be healed. The artist has also depicted a kneeling woman who is waiting with everyone else for a miracle. All these people are pointing to Christ, their faces full of trembling excitement. He comes and heals the child, driving away the evil spirit.

The upper part of the painting is illuminated by the divine light emanating from Christ, while the lower part is darkened.

The top part was reportedly painted by the artist himself, while the lower part was completed by his pupils, as Rafael Santi tragically died in 1520. But his immortal canvas can be considered a model for contemporary artists to emulate.