Discovering Raphael: Room of the Fire in Borgo
Welcome to the third episode of our “Discovering Raphael” column. Our visit continues with the Room of the Fire in Borgo.
Under Pope Leo X, this room was the dining room, painted between 1514 and 1517. Raphael took care of only few details: he delegated most of the work to his assistants because of the huge amount of jobs he had.
All the frescoes show Leo X’s political aspirations, depicted through the actions of two previous Popes: Leo III and Leo IV. In each scene we can find references to classical literature or pontifical life narrated in the Liber Pontificalis.
Fire in the Borgo
In the year 847, a terrible fire blazed in the area of Borgo, the neighborhood in front of St. Peter’s Basilica.
Pope Leo IV, with only his blessing, managed to extinguish the fire and to save everyone. We can see him in the background, standing in the Loggia of Blessings. The fresco is also a reference to the fire which destroyed the city of Troy, as narrated by Virgil, with Aeneas carrying his father and his son.
Battle of Ostia
The Battle of Ostia took place in 849: it saw the troops of the Italian league facing Saracens.
Before the beginning of the battle, Pope Leo IV blessed all the soldiers and offered a mass. Then, the Papal army, together with Neapolitan, Amalfitan and Gaetan ships, managed to defeat Arabs thanks to a miraculous storm.
The subject referred also to the crusade against infidels encouraged by Pope Leo X.
Oath of Leo III
In the year 800, Pope Leo III had to face some serious accusations of adultery and perjury. On December 23rd, inside the ancient Basilica of St. Peter, he responded to the calumnies by taking an oath of purification. He reaffirmed that the vicar of Jesus Christ is responsible to God alone for his actions.
Two days later, Pope Leo III crowned Charlemagne as we can see in the next fresco.
Crowning of Charlemagne
On Christmas night in the year 800, inside St. Peter’s Basilica, Pope Leo III crowned Charlemagne as emperor. It marked the foundation of the Holy Roman Empire.
The fresco refers to the agreement of 1515 between Pope Leo X and the King of France Francis I –we can see both of them portrayed here.
All around them, there are cardinals, bishops, soldiers and servants while piling up gold and silver vases.
Don’t forget to tune in next week for the last of Raphael’s Rooms: the Room of Constantine.
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Did you miss the previous episodes? Check our blog for the Room of the Segnatura and the Room of Heliodorus.
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