How Raphael's Transfiguration Inspired Nietzsche's Philosophy of Art
The German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche, known for his atheistic views, was influenced by Raphael's 'Transfiguration,' a work commissioned in 1517 by Cardinal Giulio de Medici for a cathedral in Narbonne. Upon Raphael's death in 1520, the painting remained unfinished, and a restoration in the 1970s revealed that only a few figures were completed by his assistants. Medici retained the artwork in Rome until it was taken to Paris by Napoleon in 1797. Nietzsche, who admired Napoleon and referenced him approximately 150 times, regarded Raphael as the supreme artist. In his 1889 work 'Twilight of the Idols,' he claimed that genuine artists embrace life, asserting, "Raphael said yes, which means that Raphael was no Christian," viewing the painting as a representation of the Apollonian and Dionysian duality.
Key facts
- Raphael's 'Transfiguration' was commissioned in 1517 by Cardinal Giulio de Medici, later Pope Clement VII.
- The painting was intended for a cathedral in Narbonne, France, where Medici was archbishop.
- Raphael died in 1520 before completing the painting; a 1970s cleaning showed most was his own work.
- Napoleon took the painting to Paris in 1797 and considered it the greatest work of art.
- Nietzsche mentioned Napoleon approximately 150 times in his texts.
- In 'Twilight of the Idols' (1889), Nietzsche wrote that Raphael 'said yes, did yes' and was not a Christian.
- In 'The Birth of Tragedy' (1872), Nietzsche used the painting to illustrate the Apollonian and Dionysian duality.
- Nietzsche believed true artists are 'yes-sayers' to life, and Raphael exemplified this.
Entities
Artists
- Raphael
- Friedrich Nietzsche
- J.M.W. Turner
Institutions
- Cardinal Giulio de Medici
- Pope Clement VII
- San Pietro in Montorio
- Tate Gallery
Locations
- Narbonne
- France
- Rome
- Italy
- Paris