Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino better known as Raphael was an integral leader in the High Renaissance classicism. This period denoted the apogee of visual arts in Italian Renaissance that renewed the emphasis on classical tradition of establishing proportion, balance, and ideal beauty. However, the mannerism style was also evident at the time where compositions were asymmetrical or unnaturally elegant. These are evident styles incorporated in the Portrait of a Young Man that was created in 1514 by the exemplary painter. The 16th Century painting was initially displayed in the Czartoryski Museum, in Kraków Poland before it was stolen by Nazi invaders and taken by the Gestapo as part of decorations required for Hitler’s Berlin residence. 1 However, during the commotions and confusion following the defeat of the Nazi in World War II, senior officer Hans Frank took the collection of paintings from Hitler to the Wawel Castle. The painting has been missing since 1945 and authorities are still searching for its whereabouts. There have been rumors that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Poland had received information through a reliable source that the painting was in the vault of a bank in a particular country. However, these reports were falsely stated and the location of the portrait remains unknown. There are various questions raised on this issue of Raphael’s missing painting. First, what are the events that led to the disappearance of the portrait? Secondly, is the painting a self-portrait of Raphael by himself or of an unknown figure? Finally, what is the significance of the portrait to the history of art?
The Portrait of a Young Man traditionally associated as one of Raphael’s paintings is of great historical significance to the Italian High Renaissance. Its disappearance shortly before the end of World War II hurt further in-depth study and assessment of the art work leading to few literatures discussing the portrait. The authorities in Poland and around the world are continuously in search of the painting to restore it back to its original location.
Delegate your assignment to our experts and they will do the rest.
Overview
The following report conducts an argumentative narrative on the missing painting by Raphael. The essay will look into the history of the ownership of the painting from the earliest known individuals who had bought and resold it until the time it was stolen by the Nazis. This information is important to identify significant clues of its current location. This is followed by an identification of the figure in the portrait to identify whether it is indeed Raphael himself or another figure. The research also looks into an analysis of the painting in reference to its significance to historical and cultural relevance both in the art realm and the country of Poland. 2 The main purpose of the report is to provide a critical review of the significance of the theft in the research of history and its recording for future generations.
Theft of the Portrait
The oil on panel painting, Portrait of a Young Man , is believed to have had numerous owners in the course of its existence. The portrait was a major part of Raphael’s art collection during the latter stages of his life. It was one of his last few art pieces before his sudden death in 1520. 3 As Raphael was never married he did not have any children, he left most of his studio contents to his student and assistant, Giulio Romano and Gianfrancesco Penni. It is this factor that makes it difficult to trace the ownership of the portrait. It is only until the 17th century that there are clear records of sales made of the painting.
King Charles I, King George III, and King James II are among the notable owners of the portrait in the 17th century. 4 At a later date, the painting went to Modena and then Venice, where Prince Adam Jerzy Czartoryski and his brother purchased it at the beginning of the 19th Century. They would present it to their mother as a gift and she placed it in Pulawy in the “Gothic House”. This would remain its location until 1830 during the anti-czarist uprising leading to its transference to the Sieniawa Palace. When Prince Jerzy went into exile in Paris, he took the collection with him, and later to London. It was towards the end of the 19th Century when the Jerzy’s sone Prince Wladyslaw decided that the collection of art should be returned to Poland. He chose Cracow as the place that would host the painting, as it was the ancient seat of Polish kings. However, they had to be moved in 1939 following the German invasion. It was at this point that the painting was taken away from the aristocratic family for use in decorating the house of Hitler.
However, months before the end of the World War II, the senior Nazi administrator Hans Frank looted some artworks and fled from Cracow. 5 It is possible that the attributed art of Raphael was destroyed during the commotion. On the other hand, it could be that the paintings were hidden never to be found again. If authorities can identify the clear incidence of events, it is likely that they will find the missing portrait.
Identification of the Sitter
The portrait depicts a young man whose identity is unverified though it has been described to have some distinct resemblance to Raphael. However, scholars over time have referred to this portrait as Raphael’s self-portrait even though there is no clear proof of this actually being the case. The young man in the painting s richly dressed and has a confident poise. It is a reflection of Raphael’s studious approach to his ideal representation of human proportion. 6 In this case, the artist studies ancient athletic and military heroes to develop this portrait based on classical sculpture like Doryphoros and Augustus of Prima Porta.
Research has shown that the painting clearly does not have a clear identity of the figure. In the 17th Century, the Van der Doort drew up a catalogue of the numerous sales of the painting from one owner to the next. It is depicted as “A man with a black cap by Raphael” as it was sold to various buyers on 23rd Oct. 1651 for £30. It reappears in a later catalogue identifying it as “Raphael’s picture in a black habit and black cap done by himself”. At this instance, it is not clear whether the painting was intended to be a self-portrait when it was under King Charles’s ownership or it was named after Raphael after it was recovered as part of the Royal collection. The only other known self-portrait of Raphael is his fresco, The School of Athens at the Vatican. The portrait could be an idealized reflection of the life of Raphael as he spent much of his time in the presence of elite members of the society. This is evident particularly in the latter stages of his life where he was in Rome in the Papal States.
It is evident that the Raphael was an integral member of the Italian High Renaissance. Along with Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci, they form the trinity of Old Masters during that epoch. In this regard, he would associate himself with the high status life. He may have idealized this as a critical aspect of representing people of his time. In the latter stages of his life he lived in Palazzo Caprini, a palace located in Borgo. He was at the time engaged to Cardinal Cardinal Medici Bibbiena’s niece, Maria Bibbiena since 1514. This is yet another indicator that he was an important member of society hence the painting could be a self-portrait.
Significance of the Painting
The painting is of a great significance particularly in the history of the Italian High Renaissance. The portrait was created probably within the first two decades. It is also the only one of his Paintings to enter into the Polish collection hence was never subjected to an adequate analysis. In this regard, there have been numerous unanswered questions about the painting, its authorship, provenance, and the identity of the model. Furthermore, the location of the painting was further away from the track taken by majority of the scholars of the Renaissance era making it questionable that it was located in Poland. A closer look at the painting is warranted to answer some of these questions.
Raphael is depicted as one of the trinity of Old Masters in the Italian High Renaissance. In this case, his works are significantly important to understanding how they influenced other painters and artists after his death. It is particularly noteworthy for comparisons with later works of his pupils Romano and Penni. 7 The two would build on the knowledge and stylistic aspects of Raphael in creating their distinct art pieces. In the modern era, new technology is available to critically ascertain where the work was actually created. In this case, comparisons are made to other paintings by Raphael. The colors used, brushstrokes, and lines will be important in depicting the authenticity of the portrait and whether or not it is indeed a work of the famous painter. The mysterious disappearance in the mid 20th century has been a major loss to the art discipline. Any attempt made by modern scholars to analyze an artwork using a photograph runs the risk of causing significant errors in the description. Additionally, one can suffer major criticism for any conclusions or inferences drawn from the photograph. It is for this reason that scholars have barely discussed the painting.
The painting has had little analysis from scholars of the modern era. In this regard, a critical understanding of the painting in terms of its origin, influence, and significant description remains unknown to the members of the society. The theft and possible destruction of the painting during World War II has cost the field of art a major loss. 8 It is particularly important since Raphael was a major figure during the High Renaissance. The Polish government has also experienced a major loss as the officers continue to find clues on its exact location.
The missing painting Portrait of a Young Man created by Raphael in 1514 is one of the major causes of discussions in the modern era. In 2012, there were rumors reported by the media that the Polish government had found reliable information about the location of the painting. However, these reports were identified to have been falsified. Indeed, the importance of the painting is evident considering that scholars estimate that if the painting were to be found its value would be in excess of $100 million. This is not to understate the importance of the painting to the understanding of the high renaissance period.
Bibliography
Cust, Lionel. Notes on Pictures in the Royal Collections-XXXVI: On a Supposed Portrait of Raphael by Himself. The Burlington Magazine for Connoisseurs , Vol. 29, No. 161 (1916): 202-209.
Goffen, Rona. Renaissance Rivals: Michelangelo, Leonardo, Raphael, Titian . Yale University Press, 2004.
Grabski, Józef. "The Lost" Portrait of a Young Man"(Attributed to Raphael) from the Collection of the Princes Czartoryski Family in Cracow. A Contribution to Studies on the Typology of the Renaissance Portrait." Artibus et Historiae Vol. 25, No. 50 (2004): 215-239.
Holgate, John D. " Codes and messages in Raphael’s School of Athens ." (2015). <https://www.researchgate.net/profile/John_Holgate/publication/306398440_Codes_and_Messages_in_Raphael's_'School_of_Athens'/links/57bd63d108ae6918243019dc/Codes-and-Messages-in-Raphaels-School-of-Athens.pdf>
Wałek, Janusz. "The Czartoryski" Portrait of a Youth" by Raphael." Artibus et Historiae Vol. 12, No. 24 (1991): 201-224.
1 Lionel Cust. Notes on Pictures in the Royal Collections-XXXVI: On a Supposed Portrait of Raphael by Himself. The Burlington Magazine for Connoisseurs , Vol. 29, No. 161 (1916): 202-209.
2 Ibid 204.
3 Janusz Wałek. "The Czartoryski" Portrait of a Youth" by Raphael." Artibus et Historiae Vol. 12, No. 24 (1991): 201-224.
4 Ibid 206.
5 Ibid 206.
6 John D Holgate. " Codes and messages in Raphael’s School of Athens ." (2015). <https://www.researchgate.net/profile/John_Holgate/publication/306398440_Codes_and_Messages_in_Raphael's_'School_of_Athens'/links/57bd63d108ae6918243019dc/Codes-and-Messages-in-Raphaels-School-of-Athens.pdf>
7 Józef Grabski. "The Lost" Portrait of a Young Man"(Attributed to Raphael) from the Collection of the Princes Czartoryski Family in Cracow. A Contribution to Studies on the Typology of the Renaissance Portrait." Artibus et Historiae Vol. 25, No. 50 (2004): 215-239.
8 Rona Goffen. Renaissance Rivals: Michelangelo, Leonardo, Raphael, Titian. Yale University Press, 2004.
