The Coronation of the Virgin (Oddi Altarpiece)

1502–1504 Oil on panel (transferred to canvas) Renaissance Raphael Pinacoteca Vaticana

Raphael stages the Virgin’s heavenly coronation. Christ reaches to crown Mary amid angelic glory while, below, the apostles gather around her flower-filled tomb. Painted for the Oddi Chapel (c. 1502–1504), the work marries a traditional gold ground with Raphael’s dawning Renaissance style—serene expressions, poised geometry, and luminous color—bridging devotional medieval vision with classical harmony.

Visiting Tips

Step back to read both registers at once; then move close to admire the tooling of the gold and the lilies in the tomb.

Why This Artwork Is Important

Key early masterpiece showing Raphael’s synthesis of Gothic tradition and Renaissance design.
Devotional showpiece that helped build Raphael’s reputation before his Vatican commissions.

What to Look For

Two-tier structure: the heavenly coronation above, the apostles at the tomb below.
Tooled gold and delicate haloes that sparkle under gallery light.
Raphael’s youthful clarity in faces and drapery folds.

Fun Fact

Originally in Perugia’s Oddi Chapel, the altarpiece entered the Vatican collections after Napoleonic-era upheavals and was later transferred to canvas.

Last Minute Offers

Find the cheapest last-minute offers to visit Pinacoteca Vaticana and see The Coronation of the Virgin (Oddi Altarpiece) with your own eyes!

Date	Tickets	Tours
18 Apr Saturday	Buy for €55	Buy for €79
20 Apr Monday	Buy for €34	Buy for €84
21 Apr Tuesday	Buy for €55	Buy for €76
22 Apr Wednesday	Buy for €56	Buy for €75
23 Apr Thursday	Buy for €52	Buy for €75
24 Apr Friday	Buy for €64	Buy for €77