Description
The painting "The Transfiguration" by Italian artist Raffaello Sanzio is a Renaissance masterpiece noted for its complex composition and masterful use of color. With an original size of 405 x 278 cm, this work is one of the largest made by the artist.
The painting is divided into two clearly differentiated parts. At the top, the transfiguration of Christ on Mount Tabor is depicted, with the apostles Peter, James, and John watching the event. At the bottom, a healing scene is depicted, in which a man brings his demon-possessed son to Jesus' disciples for healing.
The composition of the painting is very complex, with multiple figures arranged in different planes and with different attitudes and expressions. The use of color is very effective, with a palette of soft and bright tones that contrast with the dark ones in the background.
The history of the painting is interesting, as it was commissioned by Cardinal Giulio de Medici in 1517 for the church of San Pietro in Montorio in Rome. However, the artist died before finishing it and it was completed by his disciple Giulio Romano.
One of the little-known aspects of the painting is that it was the subject of religious controversy in the 19th century, when some critics considered the healing scene at the bottom to be a later addition and not part of Raffaello's original work. . However, this theory has been refuted by subsequent studies that have shown that the painting is a coherent and unitary work.