The Transfiguration

"The Transfiguration" by Raphael, the Italian High Renaissance master, is his final Religious painting and a culmination of his artistic development. Commissioned by Cardinal Giulio de Medici (later Pope Clement VII) as an altarpiece for Narbonne Cathedral, it was executed shortly before Raphael’s death in 1520. The work uniquely combines the Transfiguration of Jesus with the following Gospel episode in the lower part of the canvas. Rendered with a masterful use of oil and tempera techniques, the painting exemplifies the depth and dynamism characteristic of High renaissance art. Today, it is housed in the Pinacoteca Vaticana.