Raphael - Revolution in Tapestry Design

Special Exhibition KHM 2023

In 1515, Pope Leo X commissioned the Italian painter Raffaello Sanzio (1483–1520) called Raphael to make the cartoons for a series of ten tapestries with scenes from the lives of Saints Peter and Paul. This commission played an instrumental part in the stylistic development of the Flemish tapestries, a marvellous illustration of princely splendour in the sixteenth century. Under Habsburg rule, Brussels soon emerged as a leading manufactory for exquisite products. Raphael’s designs are among the most successful series in the history of tapestry production.
This publication highlights the tremendous wealth of these tapestries in intricate detail.