The Raphael Cartoons: Making the tapestries

The Raphael Cartoons are considered one of the greatest treasures of the Renaissance in the UK. These huge, full-scale designs for tapestries were created by Raphael – one of the most important masters of the Renaissance period. Commissioned by Pope Leo X, shortly after his election in 1513, for the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican Palace, the Cartoons depict key episodes of the lives of Saint Peter and Saint Paul. This film reveals the complex process in designing the Cartoons and their translation into tapestries. Find out more about the Raphael Cartoons: