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Primary sourceArtifactc. 1519

Vatican Loggias

Raphael's workshop · c. 1519

A corridor in the Apostolic Palace decorated by Raphael's workshop with biblical scenes and ancient-style grotesque designs.

Raphael directed the large team of artists who decorated this corridor, showing his role as a workshop master.

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A long arcaded gallery with richly painted and stuccoed vaulted ceilings, ornate pilasters on the left, barred windows on the right, and a marble-tiled floor. Three men in dark suits walk away toward a dark archway at the far end.
Raphael's workshop, Vatican Loggias, c. 1519. Apostolic Palace, Vatican City.

About this source

What it is

The Vatican Loggias are a corridor in the Apostolic Palace, begun by the architect Donato Bramante in 1512 and decorated with frescoes around 1519 by a large team of artists working under Raphael, including Giovanni da Udine. The decoration mixes small biblical scenes, later nicknamed "Raphael's Bible," with grotesque ornament inspired by newly rediscovered ancient Roman painting.

Why it matters

The loggias show how Raphael, by this point a famous and busy artist, worked through a large workshop rather than painting everything himself. The grotesque style used here became hugely influential, spreading across Europe as a model for decorative art — a copy was even built in Saint Petersburg centuries later.

Look closer

  • Why might Raphael have chosen small figures and ornament rather than large paintings for this space?
  • What does it mean that this work was produced by a "team" rather than by one artist alone?
  • Why do you think this ancient Roman style became so popular across Europe afterward?

This artifact is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Raphael on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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