Drawings from the Chigi Collection
Linked to banker-patron Agostino Chigi, these sheets preserve the workshop engine behind Raphael’s art. Rapid pen contours, red-chalk modeling, and squared transfer lines test poses, heads, and drapery for larger frescoes and panels. Smudges, pricks, and corrections map a process—ideas auditioned at speed before becoming the serene images we know.
Why This Artwork Is Important
- First-hand view of Raphael’s design process through workshop studies.
- Connects premier patronage (the Chigi) to major projects via working drawings.
What to Look For
- Red-chalk heads with soft stumping on cheeks and necks.
- Squaring grids or pinpricks for transferring designs.
- Overdrawn hands—multiple tries ghosting on one sheet.
Fun Fact
Workshop sheets were ‘idea banks’—kept, clipped, and reused across different commissions.
Last Minute Offers
Find the cheapest last-minute offers to visit Christian Museum and see Drawings from the Chigi Collection with your own eyes!
| Date | Tickets | Tours |
|---|---|---|
| Buy for €25 | Buy for €64 | |
| Buy for €25 | Buy for €65 | |
| Buy for €25 | Buy for €64 | |
| Buy for €25 | Buy for €64 |
