Transfiguration

The drawing Transfiguration by After Raffaello Sanzio, called Raphael Italian, 1483-1520, is a masterful study executed in pen and brown ink, enhanced by the subtle application of red chalk on ivory laid paper. Created between 1528 and 1532, this piece provides insight into the enduring influence of the High Renaissance master, who had passed away eight years prior to the drawing's creation. The work serves as a highly detailed record of Raphael's final and most celebrated altarpiece, which iconically divides the canvas into two dramatic spheres: the luminous, miraculous change of Christ on Mount Tabor above, and the frenzied scene of the Apostles attempting to heal a possessed boy at the mountain's base below.

This detailed rendering, classified as a drawing, was produced in Italy shortly after the original altarpiece was installed, illustrating the immediate desire of later artists and collectors to possess visual documentation of the masterpiece. The intense focus on dramatic illumination and shadow, achieved through the combination of brown ink cross-hatching and the soft application of red chalk, underscores the compositional genius of Raphael’s prototype. Such meticulous studies were essential tools for workshops aiming to replicate the style and complex arrangements achieved by the artist, often serving as models for disseminating the image through reproductive prints. While the original painting resides in the Vatican, this powerful visual document of the master’s legacy is preserved in the collection of the Art Institute of Chicago, allowing scholars and the public to study the work’s mechanics in detail. Its historical importance means that the image frequently enters the public domain for ongoing academic study.