The Miraculous Draught of Fishes (cartoon for the Sistine Chapel) - Raphael
Archival giclée
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Description
A study for the Sistine Chapel tapestries, this work depicts the biblical miraculous catch of fish with the characteristic balance and form of the High Renaissance.
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 sent to the workshop of Pieter van Aelst in Brussels, where weavers translated the designs into wool and silk. The scene depicts the biblical account of the miraculous catch of fish, an event that led Peter, James, and John to follow Christ.
Raphael organises the composition with a clear focus on the narrative action. The figures are arranged across two small boats, which appear precariously laden with the weight of the catch. The artist employs a balanced distribution of weight and gesture to convey the physical strain of the fishermen alongside their spiritual awe. Christ sits at the right, his calm posture contrasting with the dynamic movement of the disciples. The inclusion of the cranes in the foreground serves to ground the scene in a naturalistic setting, while the distant town and rolling hills provide a sense of scale.
Technically, the cartoon demonstrates the mastery of form and expression characteristic of the High Renaissance. The figures possess a sculptural quality, with drapery folds that define their movement and emotional state. The use of gouache on paper allowed Raphael to achieve a range of tones and textures, which the weavers then sought to replicate in the final textile medium. These cartoons are now held in the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, on loan from the Royal Collection. They remain essential documents for understanding the collaborative process between Italian painters and Northern European weavers during the early sixteenth century.
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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.
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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
The Miraculous Draught of Fishes (cartoon for the Sistine Chapel) - 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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