Transfiguration

work by Raphael

Written by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

July 14, 2026

Quick Summary

Raphael's Transfiguration is an oil painting created between 1516 and 1520, commissioned by Cardinal Giulio de' Medici. This monumental altarpiece depicts the biblical event where Jesus Christ, accompanied by the prophets Moses and Elijah, is revealed in divine glory to his disciples Peter, James, and John on a mountain.123

The painting is noted for its complex composition, combining intense emotion and dynamic movement with a polished, elegant execution. It is considered one of Raphael's final masterpieces and a precursor to the Mannerist and Baroque art movements. The work was unfinished at the time of Raphael's death and was completed by his assistant, Giulio Romano. The Transfiguration is now housed in the Vatican Museums.41

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

6 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
Raphael’s last masterpiece is the Transfiguration (commissioned by Giulio Cardinal de’ Medici in 1517) and depicting the transfiguration of Christ), an enormous altarpiece that was unfinished at his death and completed by his assistant Giulio Romano. The Transfiguration is a complex work that combines extreme formal polish and elegance of…
Read More
Raphael’s last masterpiece is the Transfiguration (commissioned by Giulio Cardinal de’ Medici in 1517) and depicting the transfiguration of Christ), an enormous altarpiece that was unfinished at his death and completed by his assistant Giulio Romano. The Transfiguration is a complex work that combines extreme formal polish and elegance of…
Read More