Unknown (Nationality, birth-death) Pope Leo I & Attila the Hun, n.d.
Oil on canvas Canvas: 45.5” 65.6” Frame: 56” x 76.5”
Nameplate: Raphael / Pope Leo I Checking the Advances of Attila and His Huns / Copied in oils from Vatican original / Presented by Mrs. Ellis Bishop
Done after the great master Raphael, the original fresco of this work is located in the Apostolic Palace in Vatican City, where it can be found in a series of rooms known as the Stanze di Raffaello. This particular work is in the Stanza di Eliodoro, and depicts the encounter of Leo the Great with Attila. Legend says that Saints Peter and Paul miraculously appeared during the meeting of the two figures, causing Atilla to cease an invasion on Italy. The colosseum, an aqueduct, and an obelisk are seen in the distance, marking the setting of this work at the gates of Rome.
Provenance: Joseph Burnett, Southborough, Massachusetts Donated from previous to San Francisco State University, 1930, displayed in their library until the 1970s. Revere Auctions, Wordly Delights: Fine Jewels, Art, and Decorations, May 16, 2023, Lot 192 Private Collection, Utah
