Fragment of a Tapestry Cartoon: Foot in a Buskin, Drapery, and a Plant
Original title: Fragment of a Tapestry Cartoon: Foot in a Buskin, Drapery, and a Plant
kurzbeschreibung
A cut-down piece of a tapestry cartoon showing a foot in a buskin, set within draped cloth and a plant. The sheet is attributed to Raphael and dated 1500–1550. It is executed in gouache over black chalk.
Description
A boot with a golden buckle and bow encloses a foot. Beside it grows part of a plant with green leaves. The background consists of blue and pink garment sections, their fabric falling in folds. Yellow, blue, green, brown and black dominate the colour scheme. The layout is tightly packed and draws the eye to surfaces and the drapery's cast; light falls evenly and leaves strong shadows absent.
Context
Intended as a model for a tapestry, the cartoon was probably destined for the Sistine Chapel or for other papal commissions. Raphael's cartoons for the chapel's tapestries, woven in Brussels, were made between 1515 and 1516. The present piece may have belonged to a larger cartoon that was later cut up. The date 1500–1550 covers both Raphael's own working years and the work of his workshop and followers.
Impact
Cloth and plant are captured so precisely that they seem almost tangible before the eye. The coordinated colours and calm arrangement produce a balanced, classically inclined aesthetic. The fragment feels like a close-up detail and reveals how confidently the drawing was done here.
Technique
Brush and gouache in yellow, blue, green, brown, black and white were applied over black chalk. The gouache covers the ground, while the chalk traced the outlines. Because opaque and translucent passages mix, fine gradations arise in the folds of the cloth.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)