Fresco in the Hall of Constantine.

Splendid frescos in the Vatican Museum

The Vatican Museum’s ceiling frescos blend into the walls, and even the floors have mosaics. However, I think the frescoes on the walls are the best part. Each has a historical theme.

I think I have most of the names of these frescos correct, but they were not labeled. It took a little research to identify the name and artist. I am pretty sure about most of them, but I am not 100% sure. If you have more information than I do, please help me correctly identify them.

Photoblog, Rome, Italy, Europe. April 3, 2025

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I describe the technique of how the artists created the frescos by applying pigments to wet plaster before it dried. If you missed it, here is a link. Stunning Ceiling Frescos in the Vatican Museum

Frescos on the walls of the Vatican Museum

The Coronation of Charlemagne by Raphael. Photo from FoxRVTravel article Splendid frescos in the Vatican Museum
The Coronation of Charlemagne by Raphael.
The School of Athens fresco by Raphael.  Photo from FoxRVTravel article Splendid frescos in the Vatican Museum
The School of Athens by Raphael.
Cardinal and the Theological Virtues. Fresco by Raphael.  Photo from FoxRVTravel article Splendid frescos in the Vatican Museum
Cardinal and the Theological Virtues. Fresco by Raphael. Many refer to these virtues, dating back to Ancient Greece, as moral virtues. St. Thomas Aquinas ranked prudence as the first cardinal virtue. Justice, strength, and temperance round out the four.
The Expulsion of Heliodorus from the Temple. Fresco by Raphael.  Photo from FoxRVTravel article Splendid frescos in the Vatican Museum
The Expulsion of Heliodorus from the Temple, by Raphael.
The meeting between Leo the Great fresco by Raphael.  Photo from FoxRVTravel article Splendid frescos in the Vatican Museum
The meeting between Leo the Great and Attila. Fresco painted by Raphael.
Fresco in the hall of Constantine.  Photo from FoxRVTravel article Splendid frescos in the Vatican Museum
Fresco in the hall of Constantine.
The Battle of Milvian Bridge fresco by Giulio Romano.  Photo from FoxRVTravel article Splendid frescos in the Vatican Museum
The Battle of Milvian Bridge fresco by Giulio Romano.
Fire in the Borgo fresco by Raphael.  Photo from FoxRVTravel article Splendid frescos in the Vatican Museum
The Fire in the Borgo fresco by Raphael was created in 847 during the reign of Leo IV. The Borgo is located between the Castel Sant’Angelo and St. Peter’s Basilica. This painting was very important because it showed the facade of Old St. Peter’s Basilica, which was removed and replaced by the current Saint Peter’s Basilica. The old Saint Peter’s is just to the right of the center at the top of the fresco.
Discussion about the Immaculate Conception. Fresco by Francesco Podesti.  Photo from FoxRVTravel article Splendid frescos in the Vatican Museum
Discussion about the Immaculate Conception, by Francesco Podesti.
Mosaic on the floor in the Vatican Museums with a central medallion featuring Athena, surrounded by phases of the moon.   Photo from FoxRVTravel article Splendid frescos in the Vatican Museum
This mosaic is on the floor of the Vatican Museums, and a central medallion features Athena surrounded by visitors.
Mosaic on the floor in the Vatican Museums with a central medallion featuring Athena, surrounded by phases of the moon.  Photo from FoxRVTravel article Splendid frescos in the Vatican Museum
This closer view of the marble mosaic on the floor of the Vatican Museum shows a central medallion featuring Athena surrounded by phases of the moon.

Maybe this might be the time to ask for help and to make a little complaint. I am the furthest thing from an Art history major. It wasn’t easy to get the names of these frescos. In the Vatican Museum, they are not labeled. They have a few pictures on the Vatican Museum website, but that wasn’t helpful overall. Searching the internet for the names was difficult; I don’t have any picture books to reference. (I do pretty good with picture books. They match my style.)

The Internet wasn’t helpful because, in most cases, people who post pictures don’t know the names any better than I do. Instead, they mention the photographer as if taking a picture of a masterpiece was equal to creating it. Half of the photos on the internet, including those trying to sell their pictures, weren’t anywhere close to as good as the ones you saw. Perhaps they were made before the Vatican Museum made a significant effort to clean them.

So, if you see a picture that I mislabeled, please let me know. In many cases, my description was vague. I would like to be as informative as I can, and this was a place I could improve.

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Saint Peter’s Basilica

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Raphael Paintings

About our photos

These photos were taken during our visit. Our photos are often “enhanced” to represent what we saw in person and correct for lighting and other things. Sometimes, this editing makes the images look better than what we saw in person.

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