RAPHAEL'S SWEETHEART

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 71, 10 April 1937, Page 11

RAPHAEL'S SWEETHEART

Discovery of Masterpiece '"I A ir',:?, ■ — ' i" ' • ■ .£■ j

A Raphael masterpiece, hidden and unknown for more tban a hundred years and believed to .depict a sweetheart of the great painter's youth, was disclosed to tbe world of art reeently by tbe .director of tbe famous Borghese Gallery in Eome, says tbe New York Times. Professor Aldo da Einaldis, head of tbe gallery, was autbority for tbe revelation tbat wbat bitherto bas been displayed as a painting of St. Catherine. really is the worlc of tbe great Renaissance master. Its monetary value could not be estimated. For more tban a hundred years tbis' picture bas been attributed to tbe scbools of Peruigino or Gbirlandajo and so listed in tbe gallery's catalogue. Professor de Einaldis, bowever, said X-ray photographs disclosed that the bead of St. Catherine and a cloak bad been supterimposed on tbe figure of a younger woman, bolding a unicorn in ber lap. • •'Wbat tbe experts believe to be tbe original painting bas been restored and was exbibited at tbe Borghese Gallery.

If shows i beautiful bare^sbouljdered young woman, with a lbng nos% long curls, and a quizzical expression. Antborities said .the picture, probably tbat pf a sweetheart of tbe artist's early tweiities, was painted about 1506, - wben Raphael lived in Florence^ That wa3 one of bis most productive periods. " Reeently several experts bave been working on tbe tkeory tbat tbe picture was a genuine Raphael whieh had been altered. Tbe xestoration, wbich was carried out under the direction of Professor Augusto Cecconi-Principi, proved tbe theory, tbey said. - Professor de Rinaldia uncovered in the arcbives of tbe gallery two eight-eentb-century documents tbat indicated that up to about 200 years ago tbe picture was regarded as tbe work of Raphael and that it bad been placed in an exbibition, room with other works of his. Tbe director said its similarity to tbe well-known style and, eolour choices of Raphael was convincing evidence tbat tbe ".uncloaked..St.. Catherine" was .painted by bis band