Christ Falling on the Way to Calvary, also known as Lo Spasimo or Il Spasimo di Sicilia, is a painting by the Italian High Renaissance painter Raphael, of c. 1514–16,[1] now in the Museo del Prado in Madrid. It is an important work for the development of his style.
It shows the common subject of Christ Carrying the Cross to his crucifixion, at the moment when he fell and his mother suffers a spasm of agony, the Swoon of the Virgin, or "Lo Spasimo".[2] All the emotion of the painting is densely crammed into the foreground and the background is similar to that of a stage set with distant groups of people and crosses. The man on the left in the foreground is similar to a figure in Raphael's painting The Judgement of Solomon in the Raphael Rooms in the Vatican Palace, except reversed. Simon of Cyrene lifts Christ's cross momentarily and looks sternly at the guards. The four Marys are depicted on the right side of the painting and towering on either side of the composition are the guards.[3] The concept of, and devotion to, the "spasm" of the Virgin was fashionable, if somewhat controversial, in early-16th-century Catholicism, although in this work the Virgin has only fallen to her knees, not collapsed or fainted, as is often shown.[4]
HistoryEdit
The panel was commissioned by the Sicilian monastery of Santa Maria dello Spasimo in Palermo. Painted in Rome around 1517, it was shipped by sea, but the ship had a troubled journey and finally sank. This episode was narrated by Vasari:
...As it was being borne by sea to Palermo, a great tempest cast the ship upon a rock, and it was broken to pieces, and the crew lost, and all the cargo, except this picture, which was carried in its case by the sea to Genoa. Here being drawn to shore, it was seen to be a thing divine, and was taken care of, being found uninjured, even the winds and waves in their fury respecting the beauty of such a work.[5]
As the news of this was spread abroad, the Sicilian monks sought to regain the miraculous painting, but they had to ask for the Pope's intercession to retrieve it. It was carried safely to Sicily, and placed in Palermo, where it acquired great fame.[6]
In 1661 the painting was acquired by the Spanish Viceroy Ferrando de Fonseca on behalf of King Philip IV, who wanted it placed on the main altarpiece of the Royal Alcazar of Madrid chapel. Then it stayed in Paris from 1813 to 1822, because it was one of the paintings Napoleon took as booty during his war campaigns, and while there the painting was transferred to canvas, a practice much adopted in France during those times. After Paris, the picture (unlike many) was returned and finally re-integrated into the Spanish royal collections, later transferred to the Prado.[7] Its present condition is not very good, mainly due to its change of support. However, its quality is clearer since cleaning and restoration in 2012.
In the past its status as a work by the hand of Raphael has been disputed, but it is now generally accepted as not merely designed but in large part painted by Raphael himself, no doubt with the usual workshop assistance for the easier areas.
Perhaps by royal commission, in 1674, Juan Carreño de Miranda executed this splendid copy of Raphaels original, which was exposed to the public on the main altar of the Convent of Santa Ana of barefoot Carmelites in Madrid. Carreño, renouncing his own style, much looser and more fluffy, faithfully follows the color, the finished invoice and the precise drawing of the original. It belongs and is at display at The Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando in Madrid.[8]
^G. Vasari, Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects (in It. often shortened to Le Vite), 1568. Cf. full text online at STORIES FROM VASARI, "Raffaello", Ch. 183. The painting's Prado webpage states that, recently, questions have been raised as to the truthfulness of Vasari's narration of the shipwreck it suffered during its transportation. That story is considered too close to the miraculous circumstances surrounding the arrival of one of Sicily's most famous images —Trapani's Annunziata by Nino Pisano— during the Middle Ages [1]
^Fernando, Real Academia de BBAA de San. "Carreño de Miranda, Juan / Sanzio, Rafael (copia de) - Camino del Calvario (". Academia Colecciones (in Spanish). Retrieved 20 May 2020.
BibliographyEdit
De Vecchi, Pierluigi, Raffaello, Rizzoli, Milan (1975). (in Italian)
Franzese, Paolo, Raffaello, Mondadori Arte, Milan (2008). (in Italian)
Gherardi, Pompeo, Della Vita E Delle Opere Di Raffaello Sanzio Da Urbino (1874), Kessinger Publishing (2010). (in Italian)
Hoeniger, Cathleen, The Afterlife of Raphael's Paintings, Cambridge University Press (2010).
Penny, Nicholas, National Gallery Catalogues (new series): The Sixteenth Century Italian Paintings, Volume I, 2004, National Gallery Publications Ltd, ISBN1-85709-908-7
External linksEdit
Lo Spasimo at the Prado
Raphael at the Prado and other Museums
Raphael's works on the Online Gallery of the Museo del Prado
Media related to Spasimo of Sicily at Wikimedia Commons
October 21, 2023
christ, falling, calvary, also, known, spasimo, spasimo, sicilia, painting, italian, high, renaissance, painter, raphael, 1514, museo, prado, madrid, important, work, development, style, artistraphaelyearc, 1514, 1516typeoil, panel, transferred, canvasdimensio. Christ Falling on the Way to Calvary also known as Lo Spasimo or Il Spasimo di Sicilia is a painting by the Italian High Renaissance painter Raphael of c 1514 16 1 now in the Museo del Prado in Madrid It is an important work for the development of his style Christ Falling on the Way to CalvaryArtistRaphaelYearc 1514 1516TypeOil on panel transferred to canvasDimensions318 cm 229 cm 125 in 90 in LocationMuseo del Prado Madrid Contents 1 Description 2 History 3 See also 4 Notes 5 Bibliography 6 External linksDescription EditIt shows the common subject of Christ Carrying the Cross to his crucifixion at the moment when he fell and his mother suffers a spasm of agony the Swoon of the Virgin or Lo Spasimo 2 All the emotion of the painting is densely crammed into the foreground and the background is similar to that of a stage set with distant groups of people and crosses The man on the left in the foreground is similar to a figure in Raphael s painting The Judgement of Solomon in the Raphael Rooms in the Vatican Palace except reversed Simon of Cyrene lifts Christ s cross momentarily and looks sternly at the guards The four Marys are depicted on the right side of the painting and towering on either side of the composition are the guards 3 The concept of and devotion to the spasm of the Virgin was fashionable if somewhat controversial in early 16th century Catholicism although in this work the Virgin has only fallen to her knees not collapsed or fainted as is often shown 4 History EditThe panel was commissioned by the Sicilian monastery of Santa Maria dello Spasimo in Palermo Painted in Rome around 1517 it was shipped by sea but the ship had a troubled journey and finally sank This episode was narrated by Vasari As it was being borne by sea to Palermo a great tempest cast the ship upon a rock and it was broken to pieces and the crew lost and all the cargo except this picture which was carried in its case by the sea to Genoa Here being drawn to shore it was seen to be a thing divine and was taken care of being found uninjured even the winds and waves in their fury respecting the beauty of such a work 5 As the news of this was spread abroad the Sicilian monks sought to regain the miraculous painting but they had to ask for the Pope s intercession to retrieve it It was carried safely to Sicily and placed in Palermo where it acquired great fame 6 In 1661 the painting was acquired by the Spanish Viceroy Ferrando de Fonseca on behalf of King Philip IV who wanted it placed on the main altarpiece of the Royal Alcazar of Madrid chapel Then it stayed in Paris from 1813 to 1822 because it was one of the paintings Napoleon took as booty during his war campaigns and while there the painting was transferred to canvas a practice much adopted in France during those times After Paris the picture unlike many was returned and finally re integrated into the Spanish royal collections later transferred to the Prado 7 Its present condition is not very good mainly due to its change of support However its quality is clearer since cleaning and restoration in 2012 In the past its status as a work by the hand of Raphael has been disputed but it is now generally accepted as not merely designed but in large part painted by Raphael himself no doubt with the usual workshop assistance for the easier areas Perhaps by royal commission in 1674 Juan Carreno de Miranda executed this splendid copy of Raphaels original which was exposed to the public on the main altar of the Convent of Santa Ana of barefoot Carmelites in Madrid Carreno renouncing his own style much looser and more fluffy faithfully follows the color the finished invoice and the precise drawing of the original It belongs and is at display at The Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando in Madrid 8 nbsp See also EditList of paintings by Raphael Christ Going to Calvary 1534 painting by Polidoro da CaravaggioNotes Edit c 1514 according to Penny and other sources but the Prado says 1515 1516 Prado website Penny 25 28 P Franzese Raffaello Mondadori Arte 2008 p 120 Penny 26 G Vasari Lives of the Most Excellent Painters Sculptors and Architects in It often shortened to Le Vite 1568 Cf full text online at STORIES FROM VASARI Raffaello Ch 183 The painting s Prado webpage states that recently questions have been raised as to the truthfulness of Vasari s narration of the shipwreck it suffered during its transportation That story is considered too close to the miraculous circumstances surrounding the arrival of one of Sicily s most famous images Trapani s Annunziata by Nino Pisano during the Middle Ages 1 Vasari ibid Ch 183 P De Vecchi Raffaello Rizzoli 1975 p 116 Fernando Real Academia de BBAA de San Carreno de Miranda Juan Sanzio Rafael copia de Camino del Calvario Academia Colecciones in Spanish Retrieved 20 May 2020 Bibliography EditDe Vecchi Pierluigi Raffaello Rizzoli Milan 1975 in Italian Franzese Paolo Raffaello Mondadori Arte Milan 2008 in Italian Gherardi Pompeo Della Vita E Delle Opere Di Raffaello Sanzio Da Urbino 1874 Kessinger Publishing 2010 in Italian Hoeniger Cathleen The Afterlife of Raphael s Paintings Cambridge University Press 2010 Penny Nicholas National Gallery Catalogues new series The Sixteenth Century Italian Paintings Volume I 2004 National Gallery Publications Ltd ISBN 1 85709 908 7External links EditLo Spasimo at the Prado Raphael at the Prado and other Museums Raphael s works on the Online Gallery of the Museo del Prado nbsp Media related to Spasimo of Sicily at Wikimedia Commons Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Christ Falling on the Way to Calvary amp oldid 1151004754, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
