The Transfiguration of Christ who appears upper centre, below him various figures including the Apostles

About this artwork

The Master of the Die's engraving 'The Transfiguration of Christ' (1530-60) reproduces Raphael's famous final painting, demonstrating Renaissance printmaking's role in disseminating artistic masterworks. This engraving measures 15 9/16 x 12 inches and depicts Christ appearing in upper center with Apostles below—Raphael's last painting commissioned by Cardinal Giulio de Medici for Narbonne Cathedral. The Master of the Die, anonymous Italian engraver active Rome circa 1530-1560, specialized in rep...

Art Historical Context

Behold the radiant *Transfiguration of Christ*, an exquisite engraving from 1530–60 by the anonymous Master of the Die, a Roman printmaker active around that time. This work faithfully reproduces Raphael's monumental final painting (1516–20), commissioned by Cardinal Giulio' Medici for Narbonne Cathedral. At the upper center, Christ appears divine glory, bathed in light, while below, the Apostles and other figures witness the miracle—including the healing of a possessed boy—capturing Raphael's dramatic two-part composition in intricate linear detail. Measuring 15 9/16 x 12 inches, this engrav...

About the Artist

Master of the Die|Raphael (Raffaello Sanzio or Santi) · 1525–1560

**Master of the Die** (fl. 1525–1560) was an anonymous Italian engraver and printmaker active primarily in Rome during the mid-16th century. Named for the distinctive small die he used to sign his prints—a tiny emblematic mark that became his moniker—this elusive artist remains unidentified despite scholarly proposals linking him to figures like Benedetto Verino, Giovanni Francesco Zabello, Tommas...