| "The
confusion surrounding the works of Raphael seems to be unique in the artists examined to
date." |
The
Raphael Research Committee is sponsored by Veritus, but operates and publishes its
findings with autonomy. The committee is dedicated to the discovery of the true identity
of the artists who were the creators of the paintings now attributed to Raffaello Santi.
To this end, the Raphael Research Committee uses the latest in twenty-first century
technology and forensic investigative methods. Through the use of modern technology, the
Committee is able solve mysteries and to discover centuries
old misattributions. Complete Catalogue Raisonnés in both traditional print media and
DVD's will be made available in the future.
The fundamental problem addressed by this Committee is the authorship of
paintings attributed to the hand of Raphael. Unfortunately, the actual authorship of many
of these paintings was lost due to the ability of Raphael to paint convincingly in the
style of other artists. In all fairness, past experts have had a difficult time since some
of Raphael's paintings were indistinguishable to the naked eye from the works of other
artists. However, the digital brushstroke analysis was able to readily detect
misattributed works. When the catalogue is finished, it will join the other online
catalogues prior to the printing in traditional media.
It was believed at the beginning of this study that the number of paintings
attributed to Raphael was not correct. However, it has come as a surprise that several
works of Raphael were attributed to other artists of the time. The confusion surrounding
the works of Raphael seems to be unique in the artists examined to date. Attributing the
works of Raphael to others and the misattribution of works to him have created a very
false impression of the body of the works of Raphael.
Sadly, these incorrect attributions are a great disservice to everyone. It
is not fair to Raphael to hold him responsible for the paintings of his followers, whether
the paintings be good, bad or indifferent. Nor is it fair his masters to attribute the
works of Raphael to their name. Such misattributions take away from not only the genius of
Raphael, but also the masters in whose style he so aptly painted.
It was obvious to the Committee that a new method and philosophy for
examining authorship was necessary. The Committee was determined not to repeat the errors
of those that came before us. It was crucial to develop a new method for attribution based
on twenty-first century technology. It was imperative that
attribution should not be dependent upon subjective opinions or dubious circumstantial
evidence.
Research is presently being conducted into the paintings of Raphael. There
is much work yet to be done before we are prepared to release our findings. However, our
examination to date has shown that high percentage of the paintings published as works of
Raphael are by the hands of other artists, equally there are many works of Raphael hiding
within the works of other artists. The Catalogue Raisonné for Raphael should be online in
after the turn of the century.
The Raphael Research Committee extends its gratitude to both Veritus and its sponsors for their kind assistance in this
project. The costs of research, computer time, technology applications and publishing of
this site have been made possible by a grant from Veritus. |
