Raphael Tapestries Go on Show in Britain at the Victoria & Albert Museum

LONDON (REUTERS).- Four priceless tapestries designed by the Renaissance master Raphael have gone on display with their original drawings for the first time at an exhibition in London to coincide with Pope Benedict’s visit to Britain. The fragile artworks — woven from wool, silk, gold and silver — were created for the Sistine Chapel and are considered to be among the greatest treasures of the High Renaissance. The Vatican has never lent four of its Raphael tapestries at the same time before, but agreed to support the exhibition at London’s The Victoria & Albert Museum to mark this month’s papal trip. The restored works have been hung next to the artist’s full-size preparatory designs, known as the Raphael Cartoons, derived from the Italian word for a large sheet of paper. Professor Arnold Nesselrath, a director at the Vatican Museums, said it was symbolic to reunite the Catholic Church’s tapestries with the Cartoons, which belon

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