Raphael – A Standing Soldier in Armor Seen in Profile
Display of the acquisition of the Royal Castle in Warsaw
12–17 March 2024
The display can be seen as part of the Gallery of Masterpieces ticket
The drawing by Raphael, one of history’s greatest artists, enriched the collection of the Royal Castle in Warsaw. The image of a man dressed in an antique warrior’s armour is the first work of the Italian master in Polish museum collections since the disappearance of Portrait of a Young Man during World War II. The sketch, due to conservation reasons, cannot be exhibited permanently, but it is available for admiration in the Gallery of Masterpieces for a week.
Raffaello Sanzio, famously known as Raphael, is regarded as one of the three most prominent Renaissance artists, alongside Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo. He was already hailed as a genius during his lifetime. His most famous works include the following paintings: Sistine Madonna, The Marriage of the Virgin, and Madonna of the Goldfinch. The Italian master also became famous as the creator of monumental frescoes in the Vatican Stanze, among which the depiction of The School of Athens gained iconic status. The great recognition of Raphael’s talent by his contemporaries is evident in the fact that Pope Leo X entrusted him with the supervision of the construction of the new St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican.
The drawing depicts a man in a warrior’s armour, modelled after an ancient style. According to one hypothesis, it is the legendary Roman hero Gaius Mucius Scaevola, who became famous for putting his hand into fire to prove that he was not afraid of torture or death. This story was described by Titus Livius in his famous annals History of Rome. Another theory suggests that the iconographic inspiration came from a statue of Mars, originating from a temple dedicated to the god in the 2nd century AD, built on the Roman Capitol.
The work does not exhibit the characteristics of a meticulously planned project or an extensively researched study. It is more of a spontaneous sketch, representing the initial creative idea transferred onto paper, known in Italian as primo pensiero. The artist created the drawing on laid paper using pen and brown ink.
The piece showcases the artist’s exceptional drawing abilities. Its primary artistic values lie in its unrestricted, spontaneous, yet flawless line work, coupled with impeccable perspective rendering, particularly evident in the depiction of the feet.
The drawing was purchased for the collection of the Royal Castle in Warsaw on the antique market in Great Britain in December 2023.
The display serves as a prelude to the upcoming temporary exhibition titled Raphael – The Beauty of the Renaissance, scheduled to be held at the Royal Castle this fall. The exhibition will offer visitors the chance to appreciate artworks not only by Raphael himself but also by artists from his circle of collaborators, including Pietro Perugino and Giulio Romano.
The purchase was made possible thanks to a grant from the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage
