Raphael: Cartoons and Tapestries for the Sistine Chapel

In September 2010, the V+A exhibited four of the ten tapestries Raphael designed for the Sistine Chapel in Vatican City. These remarkable works are comparable with Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel Ceiling as masterpieces of High Renaissance art and, in this unique exhibition, were displayed with the full-size designs Raphael made for them - the famous Cartoons, which have been on display in the V+A since 1865. For anyone unable to view this once-in-a-lifetime exhibition, this book is the next best thing. It introduces and contextualizes the cartoons and the tapestries made from them. It looks at how and why they were made, before discussing each subject individually in terms of sources and composition. Accessible and beautiful, and with 100 colour illustrations, this will be essential reading for all Raphael and Renaissance enthusiasts.