Christ's Charge to St. Peter - Raphael
Archival giclée
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Description
A high-quality fine art print of Raphael's preparatory cartoon for the Sistine Chapel tapestries, depicting the biblical charge to St. Peter.
This work is one of the seven surviving cartoons commissioned by Pope Leo X for the Sistine Chapel tapestries. Raphael designed these large-scale compositions to be woven in Brussels by the workshop of Pieter van Aelst. The scene depicts the biblical moment where Christ instructs Peter to feed his sheep, a foundational narrative for the authority of the papacy.
Raphael organises the figures across a horizontal plane, using gesture and posture to direct the viewer's attention. Christ stands on the left, his arm extended toward Peter, who kneels in a position of submission and acceptance. The remaining apostles form a rhythmic group to the right, their varied expressions and draped garments demonstrating the artist's mastery of human anatomy and classical drapery. The background features a serene, open landscape that recedes toward a distant shoreline, providing a sense of scale and atmosphere that balances the foreground activity.
Technically, these cartoons were executed in tempera on paper. They were intended as full-scale patterns for the weavers, who cut them into vertical strips to facilitate the loom process. This explains the visible grid lines and structural divisions present in the composition. The survival of these cartoons is rare, as such preparatory works were frequently destroyed during the weaving process. Today, they remain a primary example of Raphael's ability to translate complex theological concepts into clear, balanced visual narratives. The work reflects the aesthetic priorities of the High Renaissance, where clarity of form and emotional resonance are held in equilibrium. The figures possess a sculptural quality, their weight and volume articulated through careful shading and the arrangement of their heavy robes. This print captures the scale and detail of the original design, offering a view into the preparatory methods of one of the most influential figures in Western art history.
Return policy
Because every print is made to order, we don't offer change-of-mind returns, refunds or exchanges. If your order arrives faulty, damaged or incorrect, we'll replace it free of charge — just contact us within 48 hours of delivery. See our refunds page for full details.
Shipping
We ship worldwide, printing at the production hub nearest to your delivery address. Delivery times and costs vary by destination — you'll see the options available to you at checkout.
Manufacturing
Each print is produced to order using 12-colour giclée printing on FSC-certified archival paper. Designed in Britain and printed at your nearest production hub to reduce waste and speed up delivery.
Care and materials
Specific Features
Every Solis piece is made to order with archival, gallery-quality materials built to last.
- Museum-grade giclée printing for rich, fade-resistant colour
- Archival matte fine-art paper, FSC-certified
- Multiple sizes and framing options available
- Frames in black, natural wood, dark wood or white
- Framed prints arrive ready to hang
Care & Cleaning
To keep your artwork looking its best:
- Dust gently with a soft, dry cloth
- Avoid prolonged direct sunlight
- Never use liquid cleaners on the print or canvas surface
- Keep in a dry, room-temperature space
- Handle prints with clean, dry hands
Materials & Sizing
Museum-grade giclée on FSC-certified archival matte paper, with framed and canvas options.
- Paper sizes: A4, A3, A2, A1, A0 and B2 (50×70 cm)
- Canvas: XS (20×30 cm) to Large (60×90 cm)
- Frames: black, natural wood, dark wood or white
Christ's Charge to St. Peter - Raphael
Artist Biography
Raphael
He was born in Urbino, the son of a painter. His father died when he was eleven, and by his teens he was already working in the studio of Perugino, whose smooth, symmetrical compositions gave Raphael his starting point. He surpassed Perugino quickly. He studied Leonardo's sfumato and Michelangelo's anatomical intensity and absorbed both without losing his own clarity. The Madonnas from his Florentine period (the Madonna of the Goldfinch, the Sistine Madonna) have a serene perfection that has been imitated for five hundred years and never matched.
Pope Julius II summoned him to Rome in 1508, the same year he commissioned Michelangelo for the Sistine ceiling. Raphael painted the Stanze della Segnatura: four rooms in the Vatican whose frescoes include The School of Athens, the single most famous image of classical philosophy. Plato and Aristotle walk through an ideal architecture surrounded by every major thinker of the ancient world. Raphael painted Michelangelo into the scene as Heraclitus, brooding alone on the steps. Michelangelo was furious.
He ran a large workshop that produced portraits, altarpieces, tapestry designs, and architectural plans. He was appointed architect of St Peter's Basilica. He was charming, diplomatic, and universally liked, which made Michelangelo dislike him even more.
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