Saint George and the Dragon (Raphael)
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, combining chivalry and Christianity, is appropriate for the occasion; like his father, Guidobaldo was a condottiero, or proprietor of a band of mercenary soldiers.The painting was later a highlight of the Pierre Crozat collection which was acquired through Diderot's mediation by Catherine II of Russia in 1772.This and other foundational artworks, including paintings by Jan van Eyck, Sandro Botticelli, and Titian, helped place the National Gallery among the most significant collections of Renaissance art.
RaphaelOil on woodNational Gallery of ArtWashington, D.C.cabinet paintingItalianHigh RenaissanceOrder of the GarterGuidobaldo da MontefeltroDuke of UrbinoHenry VII of EnglandSir Gilbert TalbotSaint George and the DragonchivalrycondottieromercenarySt GeorgeLouvreVision of a KnightNational GalleryUffiziWilliam Herbert, 3rd Earl of PembrokeWilton HouseWiltshireCharles I of EnglandEnglish Civil WarRoyal CollectionSomerset HousePierre CrozatDiderotCatherine II of RussiaHermitage MuseumSoviet sale of Hermitage paintingsAndrew MellonJan van EyckSandro BotticelliTitianList of paintings by RaphaelList of paintings in the National Gallery of Art formerly in the Hermitage MuseumList of paintingsBaronci AltarpieceSaint SebastianResurrection of ChristMond CrucifixionMadonna and Child with the BookSolly MadonnaOddi AltarConestabile MadonnaPortrait of a ManThe Marriage of the VirginDiotallevi MadonnaPortrait of PeruginoColonna AltarpieceSaint GeorgeThree GracesSaint MichaelChrist BlessingPortrait of Pietro BemboPortrait of Elisabetta GonzagaPortrait of Emilia Pia da MontefeltroSmall Cowper MadonnaTerranuova MadonnaMadonna del GranducaYoung Man with an AppleSelf-portraitLa donna gravidaMadonna del CardellinoYoung Woman with UnicornMadonna del PratoMadonna with Beardless Saint JosephPortrait of Agnolo DoniPortrait of Guidobaldo da MontefeltroPortrait of Maddalena DoniAnsidei MadonnaMadonna of the PinksBridgewater MadonnaThe DepositionMadonna of the BaldacchinoLa belle jardinièreRidolfo GhirlandaioCanigiani Holy FamilyColonna MadonnaPortrait of a Young Woman (La Muta)Esterhazy MadonnaNiccolini-Cowper MadonnaTempi MadonnaSaint Catherine of AlexandriaPortrait of Tommaso InghiramiGarvagh MadonnaPortrait of Cardinal Alessandro FarnesePortrait of a CardinalAlba MadonnaMadonna of LoretoThe Prophet IsaiahMadonna of FolignoPortrait of Pope Julius IIGalateaMadonna with the FishMadonna della SeggiolaMadonna of the CandelabraSistine MadonnaMadonna dell'ImpannataMadonna della TendaPortrait of a Young ManSibylsPortrait of Bindo AltovitiPortrait of Baldassare CastiglioneChrist Falling on the Way to CalvaryCreation of the WorldPortrait of Andrea Navagero and Agostino BeazzanoPortrait of Cardinal BibbienaLa velataVisitationThe Ecstasy of Saint CeciliaMadonna with the Blue DiademHoly Family of Francis ISaint Michael Vanquishing SatanEzekiel's VisionPortrait of Doña Isabel de Requesens y Enríquez de Cardona-AnglesolaGiulio RomanoSaint Margaret and the DragonLa FornarinaSmall Holy FamilyPortrait of a Young WomanTransfigurationMadonna de Bogota