The Raphael Tapestry Cartoons: Narrative, Decoration, Design (Import)

The Raphael Cartoons were commissioned from the artist in 1515 by Pope Leo X. Completed in late 1516, they were planned as full-scale designs for a set of tapestries that Leo intended to cover the lower walls of the Sistine Chapel. The choice of Raphael and the lavishness of the materials that Leo stipulated for the tapestries, testify to the significance of the commission.The cartoons and tapestries depict selected acts of St Peter and St Paul, represented as the twin founders of the early church and the foundation stones of the Papacy.The major research programme carried out at the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, during which each cartoon was minutely examined and X-rayed, has provided a unique opportunity for a fresh evaluation of these great works. The commentary, together with the fine reproductions of the restored cartoons and the detailed photographs taken during the course of examination, add significantly to our understanding of these important surviving examples of Renaissance art.