EDINBURGH.- World-renowned tapestry studio Dovecot presents the life and work of Renaissance Master Raphael (1483–1520) in a landmark digital exhibition and tapestry marking his 500th anniversary. In partnership with the Italian Cultural Institute and Magister Art.

A multimedia installation, visitors will explore the artistic genius of Raphael and experience recreations of his masterpieces including Madonna of the Goldfinch (1505–6, Uffizi), The Deposition of Christ (1507) and The Transfiguration (1516–20, Vatican). Inspired by Raphael’s genre-defining tapestry designs, Dovecot weavers created a contemporary tapestry, interpreting a section of Raphael’s famous Sistine Chapel Cartoons (The Royal Collection/V&A).

RAPHAEL: Magister Raffaello premieres in the UK as part of Edinburgh Art Festival and Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Painter, draughtsman, architect, and tapestry designer, Raphael (1483–1520) was one of the greatest artists of the High Renaissance. A master of portraiture, Raphael depicted religious scenes with a simplicity and grace, and is renowned for his captivating, almost cinematic compositions. During his brief career, spanning just two decades, Raphael shaped the course of European art, sealing his reputation as a Renaissance Master.

Marking the 500th anniversary of his death, this exhibition at Dovecot Studios is an innovative digital installation that explores Raphael’s work in the context of 16th century Italy. Through large-scale projections and displays, the exhibition will allow visitors to travel to Raphael’s birthplace Urbino, and explore Florence and Rome in a unique multimedia experience.

Arranged thematically, the exhibition opens with a real-scale reproduction on wood panel of Raphael’s self-portrait. Shifting to key works including The Deposition (1507) and The Madonna of the Goldfinch (1505-07), we see Raphael reach his artistic maturity.

Visitors are guided to a key moment in Raphael’s career, the creation of the Papal Apartments at the Vatican, also known as the Raphael Rooms. Taking over 10 years to complete, the magnificent scenes are projected with accompanying audio to transform the gallery and tell the story of the paintings before moving on to a depiction of The Transfiguration (1516-20), often considered Raphael’s greatest work.

While Raphael is revered for his skill as a painter, he was also a master sculptor, architect, and a talented tapestry designer. In 1513, Raphael was commissioned to design 10 tapestries to depict the lives of the apostles Saint Peter and Saint Paul for the Sistine Chapel. The resulting designs known as the Raphael Cartoons were created to scale and were woven in Brussels.

The impact of Raphael’s Cartoons on tapestry design and production still reverberates today. As an internationally renowned tapestry studio, Dovecot weavers have undertaken the challenge of weaving a section of Raphael’s design from The Miraculous Draught of Fishes (1515-16) to create a contemporary tapestry. Highlighting the importance of Raphael as a tapestry designer and Dovecot Studios as keepers and innovators of weaving tradition, the creation of this new tapestry forms part of the exhibition journey through Raphael’s life and work.

Designed by Magister Art, RAPHAEL: Magister Raffaello at Dovecot marks its UK premiere, and is part of the Magister series; and innovative trilogy of multimedia exhibitions devoted to Giotto, Canova, and Raphael.