room OF THE FIRE

The Stanza takes name from the most famous fresco: the Fire in the Borgo (the quarter close to Vatican), the only one that was completely painted by Raphael, who began work on the Stanza in July of 1514 to finish it in 1517.

Given the many commitments Raphael prepared with great care drawings and cartoons for the frescoes; with the exception of the Borgo, is presumed to have been painted by five artists from the workshop, including certainly Giulio Romano and Giovanni Francesco Penni.

The episodes depicted on the walls are:

the Fire in the Borgo,

the Coronation of Charlemagne,

the Battle of Ostia,

the Oath of Leo III.

In the episode of the coronation of Charlemagne, the narrative has the character of a chronicle in direct,

as can be seen by looking at the group of prelates

and the bearer requested by the man with the armor.

The Popes portraits on the walls have all the features of Leo X,

while the face of Charlemagne is that of King Francis I of France, with whom Leo X had entered into an alliance in 1516.

In the Battle of Ostia Raphael portrayed the Cardinal Bibbiena Friend of Leo X, who used to call him “Alter Pope”. On the left, in the foreground, you can see Giulio de 'Medici the future Clement VII.

The ceiling of the room is by Perugino.

The ceiling - click to enlarge the picture

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