拉斐尔作品《圣乔治与恶龙》超高清大图

作品简介

　　《圣乔治与恶龙》是意大利文艺复兴盛期大师拉斐尔约1505年创作的木板油画小品(cabinet painting)，现藏于华盛顿国家美术馆。画中圣乔治佩戴的蓝色吊袜带，印证了英国亨利七世于1504年授予拉斐尔赞助人——乌尔比诺公爵圭多巴尔多·达·蒙特费尔特罗的嘉德勋章殊荣，隐约可见勋章格言"HONI"(全文为"Honi soit qui mal y pense"——"心怀邪念者蒙羞")。学界推测此画系公爵委托创作，或赠予携勋章至乌尔比诺的英国特使吉尔伯特·塔尔伯特爵士，新近研究更倾向为亨利七世本人所作——这位英格兰君主对意大利文艺复兴文化声望的推崇，远胜于单纯的外交考量。

　　这一融合基督教精神与骑士精神的传统题材，与公爵的雇佣军统帅(condottiero)身份高度契合。拉斐尔早期创作过多幅此类袖珍板画，包括巴黎卢浮宫藏另一幅《圣乔治》及伦敦国家美术馆藏《骑士之梦》，皆展现出将宏大叙事浓缩于方寸之间的非凡功力。

拉斐尔《圣乔治与恶龙》素描稿

St. George and the Dragonis a small oil on woodcabinet paintingby theItalianHigh RenaissanceartistRaphael, paintedc.1505, and now in theNational Gallery of Artin Washington, D.C. The saint wears the blue garter of the EnglishOrder of the Garter, reflecting the award of this decoration in 1504 to Raphael's patronGuidobaldo da Montefeltro,Duke of Urbino, by KingHenry VII of England. The first word of the order's motto, "HONI" can be made out. The painting was presumably commissioned by the Duke, either to present to the English emissary who brought the regalia to Urbino,Sir Gilbert Talbot, or to Henry himself—recent scholarship suggests the latter. The honour paid to a minor Italian ruler reflected Henry's appreciation of the cultural prestige of Renaissance Italy as much as any diplomatic purpose.

The traditional subject,Saint George and the Dragon, combiningchivalryand Christianity, is appropriate for the occasion; like his father, Guidobaldo was acondottiero, or proprietor of a band ofmercenarysoldiers. In the early stages of his career Raphael painted a number of tiny cabinet paintings, including anotherSt Georgein theLouvre, and theVision of a Knightin theNational Galleryin London.