Renaissance Nativity Scene Inspired by Raphael Installed in Sistine Chapel

A large Renaissance nativity scene inspired by Raphael has been installed in the Sistine Chapel at the Vatican Museums, on view until January 15, 2022. The work, measuring approximately 3 meters long and 2 meters deep, features a miniature replica of Raphael's "School of Athens" fresco from the Stanza della Segnatura, where Jesus is born as the revealed Truth. The scene also includes references to Caravaggio and Dante Alighieri, with their figures placed together behind the temple roof. The nativity was entirely funded by the Fondazione Giulio e Giovanna Sacchetti Onlus, conceived in 2020 as a tribute to Raphael on the 500th anniversary of his death, postponed one year due to COVID-19. It is dedicated to the memory of Giulio Sacchetti, a member of the Florentine noble family who died in 2010 and served as Special Delegate of the Pontifical Commission for the Vatican City State. Giovanna Sacchetti, president of the foundation, noted her personal connection to the Sistine Chapel, having visited the restoration site from 1980 to 1994 when her husband oversaw the cleaning project. The foundation, established in 2013, funds art restoration, new works, prizes, and scholarships.