The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-07-24
WORKS OF a
He TRANSPORTATION Is the pre-
Jude to the resurrection OF
Christ in the New Testament.
It was the first8startling evil
dence which Jesus gave Of his

'NySM!MI It was the first startling evil
lNSy dence which Jesus gave of his {
divinity and Immortality, and tits this
wonderful incident in the Scriptural
narrative which Raphael depicted in
what many consider his greatest
painting. Fs " fi{4isS
Other artists had essayed this task,
and some of the results were In many
respects fantastic s5, 3 &
1t remained for Raphael to embody
practically the whole of that mys-5
ferrous chapter xviii. Of the Gospel
of st. Matthew in one picture-a pic-Si
ture in which is revealed the hope Of I
biblical prophecy and the human strug-t
gle for the light OF life in the miracu-
lous healing powers OF the Saviour.
Raphael flung artistic traditions to
J the winds when he started to make
this painting In 1919, the year before
he died. He went to the gospel for
. his inspiration. and he read and re-
read those verses beginning:
And after six days Jesus taketh:s
+ Peter. James and John. his brother.
and bringeth 4tthem UP into high
mountain apart, 4
And was trans figured before them:
and his face did shine as the sun, and Il
his raiment. was white as the light,
And behold. there appeared unto
ii them Moses and Elias talking with
him a bright cloud ovcrshadowcd
then: and behold. voice out of the
cloud which said. "This Is my beloved
Son, in whom ! am well pleased; hear
ye him.. And when the disciples heard
1T they fell on their faces and were
sore afraid. And Jesus came and
{ touched them and said: Arise and be !
1nfr of ,,d ~ \,
up their eyes, they saw no man, save
Jesus only. And as they came down
from the mountain, Jesus charged
them, saying TELL the vision to no
man. until the Son Of Man be risen
again from the dead"
Then followed the healing of the
lunatlc boy at the base OF tho noun
T tain before his disciples and the null
titude, All Of these things Raphael
incorporated In his wonderful paint
ing.
The illustration here shows only tho
figure Of Christ in this painting at
the moment of the transformations.
The Lord floats In n glory Of light
the face has been transfigured in8the
moment There is the calm and re-
pose Of n sublime divinity in face and
figure as 1t nscends from the summit
picture the, three disciples appear to be
( dazzled by the light from above as
they lie PROSTATE on the mountain
! top. On the right hand OF the Saviour
is tho figure of Moses, and on the
left that Of Elias. At the extreme
left are the figures of st. Julian and b
st. Lawrence, kneeling In alteration.
These figures were introduced at the
request or Cardinal Giuio dc Medicl-- a
afterwards Pope Clement VII.-ln
honor Of his father and uncle, who
were named after them. That con-
sttutes the upper. or heavenly Soc
ton OF the picture: the lower section
porirays lhe subsequent MIRACLE Of
healing the lunatlc boy.
This painting has n remarkable his
8 tory. It was ordered by Cardinal
Glhllo de Medici for the cathedral OF
cardinal had been appointed titula1'
bishop by Francis l. At tho same
q time the Cardinal ordered painting
OF the Raising of I4azarusn from Sc
bastlano del Piombo, noted contem-
porary Of Raphael's. Both artists were
mus put on their mettlc. Raphael
made many studies for ibis great
painting. and he had just about COM
pleted 1t when he was stricken with
me fever from which he died In his
thirty-seyenth year.
The painting, which is on wood, and
Is u feet 4 inches by feet 8 inches,
was brought into the sick chamber
and the artist Toasted his cye1 IN 1t Z
until they We're closed in death,
Then, when the body of this prince
OF painters was borne through the sor-
rowing multitudes of Rome to the
Pantheon, the picture was inlaond re-
fore the catafalaue and carried IN pro-
cession through the streets. Thou
sands wept that day In the streets
Of Rome. for the fame of tho youthful
Raphael was greater at Tho time than
That Of any man In The Eternal city
greater even than that Of Michael
Angelo, who Was then decorating tho
Sistine Chapel. where he painted his
Last Judgment" the only companion
N greatness OF Raphael's ''Transfigu-
ration which the Vatican holds.