Renowned Renaissance painter Raphael began work on a new room at the Vatican before his death.
This room, known as the Hall of Constantine, is notable for being used for lavish banquets by Renaissance popes.
Recent Discoveries
During the restoration of the frescoed walls in the Hall of Constantine, two previously lost paintings by Raphael have been rediscovered.
The paintings depict the female figures of Justice and Friendship.
Raphael intended to paint the entire wall using oil, a departure from the traditional fresco technique, but he died before completing the work.
These figures had become obscured by frescoes painted after Raphael's death.
Significance of Discovery
Fabio Piacentini, a chief restorer at the Vatican, expressed the emotional impact of rediscovering these works, noting their significance as possibly the last pieces Raphael painted.
The initial clue to the paintings' existence came from a 15th-century book by historian Giorgio Vasari, which mentioned Raphael's experiments with oil painting.
Expert Analysis
Experts identified the two figures as Raphael’s by analyzing:
Brushwork confidence and technique.
Unique color shades.
Lack of preparatory drawings beneath the figures.
Infrared photography confirmed the oil paintings' presence beneath the layers of fresco.
Restoration Project
Barbara Iatta, head of the Vatican Museums, emphasized the importance of this discovery, considering it one of the most significant projects undertaken in recent decades, on par with the Sistine Chapel restoration.
The full restoration of the Raphaels in the room is expected to continue until at least 2022.
Future Research
Iatta hinted at the potential for further discoveries in the Vatican Museums, noting that research is ongoing and the search for hidden artworks never ends.