Stanza di Constantino
by RAFFAELLO's workshop

The frescoes in the Stanza di Constantino were executed by Raphael's pupils after his death. The work was coordinated by Giulio Romano who also painted the main scenes: The Vision of the Cross, The Battle at Pons Milvius, and the Donation of Rome. The room is named after the subjects of the frescoes.

After the death of Raphael, Michelangelo had applied to Leo X through Sebastiano, del Piombo, an artist with whom Michelangelo was on friendly terms, to decorate the Stanza di Constantino. However, despite the great success of his work in the Sistine Chapel, Michelangelo was rejected on the grounds that Raphael's pupil already had their master's designs, and it was these that would be painted.

The theme of the Sala di Costantino is the Church's rightful possession of lands supposedly donated to it by the Emperor Constantine in submission to the will of God. Since the deed of the Donation of Constantine had been proved to be a forgery dating from AD 750, Pope Leo X was here attempting to re-establish the Church's rightful claim.

Preview Picture Data File Info Comment
The Baptism of Constantine
1520-24
Fresco
Stanza di Constantino, Palazzi Pontifici, Vatican

1191*740
True Color
177 Kb



The Battle at Pons Milvius
1520-24
Fresco
Stanza di Constantino, Palazzi Pontifici, Vatican

1149*670
True Color
192 Kb



The Battle at Pons Milvius (detail)
1520-24
Fresco
Stanza di Constantino, Palazzi Pontifici, Vatican

891*650
True Color
188 Kb



Vision of the Cross
1520-24
Fresco
Stanza di Constantino, Palazzi Pontifici, Vatican

1322*615
True Color
175 Kb



Vision of the Cross (detail)
1520-24
Fresco
Stanza di Constantino, Palazzi Pontifici, Vatican

980*856
True Color
191 Kb



Summary of works by Raphael
Paintings in Umbria and Florence
up to 1504 | 1505-09 (Florence) | 1505-08 (Umbria)
Decoration of the Stanze
Segnatura | Eliodoro | Borgo | Constantino
Paintings in Rome
1509-12 | 1513-14 | 1515-17 | Loggia | 1518-20
Other
Tapestries and cartoons | Drawings