The Deposition by Raphael

It was a commission proposed by Atalanta Baglioni, a mother losing her son in violence among factions. The fact was that she refused to give Grifonetto Baglioni, her son being chasing, refuge in her home when he ever came to her. Ironically, when she decided to change her mind and looked for her son around, she was there only in time to see him being killed. How regretful and painful should she be! Thus, Raphael took this commission asked by Atalanta and spent 2 years to finish this excellent painting, The Deposition.

To some extent, this painting was composed of 2 pieces of rough sketch, say, carrying away the body of Jesus for the left part and the fainting Virgin for the right part. The right part was added since Atalanta asked Raphael to show her deep grief over the lost son. The magic here is that Raphael painted the guy on the right side leaning to the opposite direction, who carrying Jesus was supposed to tilt to the left, so that readers cannot see structural disharmony between two sketches but a total complete and wonderful masterpiece.

There is no doubt that Raphael, with Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino as his full name, is an enormously productive Italian painter. He was well known as one of the traditional trinity of great masters of Renaissance period together with Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci. His personality as well as his works indicates thoroughly peace, harmony, symmetry and perfection. It is Raphael who led the aesthetic taste that people most advocated at that time.

The Deposition 1507

The Deposition 1507

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