Room of the Fire of Borgo

Title and Date of Work: Room of the Fire of Borgo (1514-1517)
Name of Artist: Raphael and his students
Exact Location: Sistine Chapel, Holy Vatican
Medium: Series of Frescoes
Dimensions: Unknown

     The ‘Room of the Fire of Borgo’, was used by Pope Julius II for meetings of the tribunal the ‘Segnature Gratiae et Iustitiae’. During the time of Leone X, this room was used as a dining room and initially the task of painting the walls was given to Raffaello, but it fell to his apprentices.  The frescoes show the ‘Coronation of Charles the Great’, the ‘Pledge of Leone III’, the ‘Battle of Ostia’ and the ‘Fire of Borgo’ in 847 A.D in the district near San Pietro that miraculously stopped after a solemn blessing given by the Pope.  This fresco depicts the Virgin Mary in the middle, Jesus on the left and God the Father on the right of her.  Above Mary's head is the dove representing the Holy Spirit. Many paintings have the father above Jesus and usually never in human form, let alone on equal level with Mary.