Fire in the Borgo

work by Raphael

Written by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

June 26, 2026

Quick Summary

"The Fire in the Borgo" is a fresco painted by Raphael between 1514 and 1517 in the Stanza dell'Incendio of the Vatican Palace. It depicts a miraculous event where Pope Leo IV is said to have extinguished a great fire that broke out in the Borgo district of Rome in 847 AD. While Raphael designed the fresco, it was largely executed by his assistants and pupils. The work is noted for its dramatic depiction of the event and Raphael's continued study of the male nude, showcasing a move towards more dynamic and dramatic compositions, foreshadowing Mannerist and Baroque styles.1

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

4 Britannica Sources

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.

Raphael
Last years in Rome of Raphael
…exception of one fresco, the Fire in the Borgo, in which his pursuit of more dramatic pictorial incidents and his continuing study of the male nude are plainly apparent.
Read More
…exception of one fresco, the Fire in the Borgo, in which his pursuit of more dramatic pictorial incidents and his continuing study of the male nude are plainly apparent.
Read More