Room of the Chiaroscuri

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Room of the Chiaroscuri
Room of the Chiaroscuri
Room of the Chiaroscuri
Room of the Chiaroscuri

This room is located in the medieval core of the Apostolic Palace. The large space previously housed the cubicolarii, or rather those entrusted with the surveillance of the cubiculum, the pontiff's bedroom, and the palafrenieri, who were responsible for carrying the pope's sedan chair on their shoulders. In addition, the room was used in the sixteenth century for secret consistories, or rather the pope's solemn meetings with the cardinals. It was also previously known as the "Parrot" room, probably since it was traditionally used to house this appealing bird.
The current appearance of the space dates back to the sixteenth century. The wooden coffered ceiling was produced in the sixteenth century to a design by Raphael, and the exploits and weapons of the patron Pope Leo X Medici (1513-1521) are shown in the spaces. The walls are decorated with an architectural scene painted with false columns supporting an architrave, above which there is a frieze decorated with garlands of plants and pairs of cupids. Between the columns, painted chapels host a series of Apostles and Saints. On the pedestals below there are false marble reliefs recalling the martyrdom of the figures represented above, while the personifications of the Virtues are shown above.
The series of the Apostles and Saints were realised in 1517-1518 by Raphael for Pope Leo X. Badly damaged in the mid-sixteenth century (1560), it was completely repainted by the brothers Federico and Taddeo Zuccari. Numerous traces of the original decoration remain, corresponding to the figures of St. John the Evangelist, St. Lawrence and St. Matthew, inscribed with the dates 1518, 1519, 1540 and 1541.