Transfiguration is a table painted by Raphaël in 1520.

Transfiguration was ordered, at the same time as the second work entitled the resurrection of Lazare carried out by Sebastiano del Piombo, by the cardinal Jules de Médicis (future Clément VII). Are two tables of furnace bridge for its episcopal residence of Narbonne. This work is the last of Raphaël. It was completed, after its death of an excess of fever in April 1520, by the workshop of the Master. These same collaborators and pupils, after the bag of Rome in 1527, disperse in all the courses of Europe and thus spread the values and the techniques of Raphaël. They will form starting from other references like Michel-Angel, a new movement named the Maniérisme. This ultimate table of the Master testifies to the crisis of the Renaissance at that time and constitutes already a laboratory of the mannerism of which she announces certain characters as we will see thereafter.

Iconography

This table tackles two different subjects and not only transfiguration as the title indicates it. The upper part treats indeed topic of transfiguration.
It is an episode of the life of Christ where its physical appearance changes during its life on ground thus revealing its divine nature. According to the Bible, this episode is after the miracle of the loaves and fishes, at the moment when the disciples recognize in him the Messiah. During the festival of the tents, it would have gone on the Thabor mount with its disciples Pierre, Jacques and Jean and would then have metamorphosed himself. Its face changed and its clothing became of a white éclatant.
According to New Testament: “And it was transfigured in front of them: its face resplendit like the sun, and its clothing became dazzling like the light. And here that Moïse and Elie appeared to them, which discussed with him. Then speaking, Pierre called to Jesus: Lord, it is happy that we are here; if you want, I will make three tents, for you, for Moïse and for Elie. ” While he spoke still here that a luminous cloud took them under its shade, and here that a voice, cloud, said: “This one is my son, the liked good, which has all my favor, listen to it! ” Has its words the disciples fell on their faces, and they were seized by a major fear. But Jesus advanced and, concerning, he says “raises you, is not afraid. ” Raising the eyes then, they do not transfer anybody, if not Jesus himself, only. In the upper part Raphaël represents the exact moment when Jesus metamorphoses himself in the presence of Moïse and ELie.
On the table one clearly distinguishes the three disciples who seem to fall asleep or are rather dazzled by the light, Christ above them and, with its dimensioned, Elie and Moïse (on the right, recognizable with the Tables of the Law which it holds between the arms). In this same part, one can notice two small characters on the right who are requesting and who do not appear in the passage. It is Felix and Agapit who support the manifestation of Christ then. This work thus conveys a capacity of access to the truth which the reason would not have (a message fideist).
Cette scene drawn from Mathieu 17, is immediately followed of a history or it is question of the cure of a had boy, and it is what Raphaël in the lower part decides to represent. Exactly in the passage: “When they had arrived close to crowd, a man advanced towards him and, falling to its knees, he says: “Lord have pity of my son, who is whimsical and suffers much; often indeed it falls in fire and often into water. I presented it to your disciples, but they could not cure it. ” And, speaking, Jesus known as: “Race incrédule and perverted, until when will I be with you? Jusque' with when will I support you? … Lead here it to me. ” Jesus threatened it, and the demon left the child, who was cured dice this hour. Then advancing towards Jesus, the disciples said to him in aside: “Because of what couldn't we, us, to expel it? ” - “because of your little of faith, he says to them. Because in truth I say it to you: if you have the faith like a grain of sénevé, you would say to this mountain: passes from here over there, and it would pass there; nothing would be impossible for you. ”
This work is located in a religious context of crisis. The catholics are in full doubt vis-a-vis the Luthérienne dispute. In 1517, it presented its 95 theses against the traffic of indulgences, whose publication marks, at least symbolically, the beginning of the Reform. This table reflects the religious interrogations of its time.

Analyzes stylistic

The table is composed in two parts. The upper part representing Jesus, Brace, Elie, the disciples, Felix and Agapit seems to proceed in agreement with the biblical passage. One observes a sharp white light surrounding it, causing even a wind improbable, supernatural, translated by draped of Elie and Brace like their hair. The clouds even are concentrated around Jesus. This one, vêtu of white, into light contrapposto, the broad hips, the draped floating one, the open arms, is represented in lévitation.
Draped are very detailed contrary to the decoration which comprises very few elements (the Thabor mount is represented by a monticule of ground and as a decoration one can observe some trees and on the left, with the distance, a village).
This moment seems to be of a long silence contrary to the low part where pile up many characters who all seem, taken of panic. On the right one can observe the people (and believers) anxious with dimensions of the young had boy and his father vêtu of green The child brings a dramatic effect by his glance and his posture (isolated arms of which one indicates the sky and the other the ground). He is the main character of the scene and is emphasized by the light which is projected on lui.
On the left one finds the apostles who do not manage to cure the child and whose panic is read on their gestures, glances, mimicry. Raphaël uses a theatrical repertory of gestures, expressions and feelings. Those were worked beforehand by drawings; apostles for example.
On finds the prospect in the gestures in short cuts and especially in the tended arms as it is usual to do it with its époque.
Dans this part the colors are very sharp and acidulous. She recalls that Michel-Angel to the Sixtine vault which will be colors very appreciated and employed again by the manièristes.
On notices a direction of clearly-obscure already pronounced and which will be re-used later by Caravage.
On attends a composition whose majority of the characteristics will be re-used in the following movements such as the mannerism with the taste pronounced for the dramatic one, the acid colors, the deformation of the guns (here broad hips of Jesus), a search for movements…
Raphaël goes towards an art characterized by the emotion, the movement, the intensity and the dramatic effect.

Setting in context

The ultimate work of the Raphaël Master reflects the religious problems of its time. It carries out it after Luther stated its 95 theses. It thus appears like a response to this Luthérienne dispute and the doubt that it involves among catholics. Low part of table, which is not specified in the title, would represent catholics which turns to the apostles, who would represent the clergy, and who their would show by their gestures the way to be followed, i.e. that of Christ. Raphaël thus takes share in the debate by imposing its point of view which is not that of Luther but of the pope. It thus invites the catholics to follow the Church. The disorder and the drama in the lower part would translate the doubt among catholics. It presents nevertheless by the technique and the means which it implements the future characteristics of the mannerism and the baroque. It is thus one of the precursors of the mannerism.

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