The Tapestries: Raphael's design legacy

Raphael created ten large-format tapestries as a commission from Pope Leo X from 1515 - 1516 for the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican Palace.

The Cartoons depict the lives of the apostles Saint Peter and Saint Paul. The tapestries were made with both gold and silver threads. They were to be woven in the workshop of Pieter van Aelst in Brussels.

They belong to the British Royal Collection. However, the cartoons have been loaned to Victoria and Albert Museum in London from Her Majesty The Queen since 1865.

Only seven tapestries of a set of ten cartoons are surviving. They include:

The Miraculous Draught of Fishes (Luke 5: 1 – 11).
Christ's Charge to Peter (Matthew 16: 18 – 19 & John 21: 15 – 17)
The Conversion of the Proconsul also known as The Blinding of Elymas (Acts 13: 6 – 12)
The Death of Ananias (Acts 5: 1 – 5)
The Healing of the Lame Man (Acts 3: 1 – 8)
Paul Preaching at Athens (Acts 17: 16 – 34)
The Sacrifice at Lystra (Acts 14: 8 – 18)

This set was partly destroyed in the Sack of Rome in 1528. Still, the Vatican Museums have acquired tapestries and recreated sections to complete a full set, now usually displayed in a gallery but sometimes moved to the Sistine Chapel for special occasions.

These tapestries were first hung on Christmas Day, 1519. The latest occasion was in February 2020 when they were displayed in the chapel to mark the 500th anniversary of Raphael's death.

Listen to the speakers to explore the legacy of Raphael's famous designs for the Acts of the Apostles Tapestries.

Speakers:
Dr Ana Debenedetti, Curator of Paintings and Lead Curator of the Raphael Cartoons Project, Victoria & Albert Museum, London

Dr Helen Wyld, Senior Curator of Historic Textiles, National Museums Scotland

Dr Michela Zurla, Curator, Complesso Museale Palazzo Ducale, Mantua

Moderator: Dr Lorraine Karafel, Assistant Professor of Art and Design History, Parsons School of Design, New York