Commissioned to decorate the Apostolic Palace with frescoes by Pope Julius II, who desired to build Rome as cultural and art center of the world, Raphael began his legend with great expectations. The very first painting that showed his great intelligence and painting techniques and that thrilled so many people at that time was The Disputation of the Holy Sacrament. It was one of the most classic works during Renaissance period with magnificent and solemn art style.
The Disputation of the Holy Sacrament, with a scene spanning both heaven and earth by clouds, exhibited the sacred doctrine of Christian. The above part in heaven showed Christian Trinity of God the Father, Son of God and the Holy Spirit. Below, the representatives of the Church were holding ceremonious ceremonies, which also depicted the respect and maintenance to the Christian doctrine. Raphael used two opposite curved sections skillfully to separate these two worlds, so that it could still seem ordered despite of lots of people and also highlighted a more expansive space.
This masterpiece together with other frescoes painted by Raphael in the Apostolic Palace was to chant the praise of church history and served for the Vatican. It took 10 years for Raphael to finish these series of magic and it also brought great fame to him. In Rome, Pope gave Raphael a unique opportunity to prove himself and asked him to fix church’s authority and belief in his paintings. However, Raphael masterly added his humanism thought and tried hard to make Hellenism coordinate to Christian spirit.
The Disputation Of The Holy Sacrament 1511
