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 Raphael Sanzio: 5th Centenary of Death Scott 1744b (2020) In 847, a disastrous fire broke out in the district in front of the ancient Basilica of San Pietro (St. Peter's), known as the Borgo. Christian legend has it that Pope Leo IV imparted a solemn blessing from the Loggia Delle Benedizioni and the fire was miraculously put out. Thus the population and the basilica were saved. Around 1514, Raphael painted a fresco of the event which is now housed in the Stanze di Raffaell in the Apostolic Palace of the Vatican Museums.  This color photograph of Raphael's The Fire in the Borgo fresco was taken in September of 2022 while I was at the Vatican Museums. The 1939 postcard below pictures Raphael's The Fire in the Borgo. It is assumed that Raphael made the designs for the complex composition; however, the fresco was most likely painted by his assistant Giulio Romano. 
This registered postcard is postmarked on May 12, 1939. The stamps used on this postcard are mostly from the 1933 Gardens & Medallions issue. The exception is the 25c 1938 air postage stamp showing the statue of St. Peter (top row, fourth stamp from the left). The card has a 1 lire stamp of Pope Pius XI on the bottom row. Pope Pius XI died on February 10, 1939, and by the time of the mailing of this card, Pope Pius XII had started his papacy (March 2, 1939). The 1 lire stamp continued to be sold up until December of 1940 according to the Bolaffi catalog. Some of Gardens & Medallions issues, according to the Bolaffi catalog, continued to be used as valid postage until 1947. References |
