The Blinding of Elymas (cartoon for the Sistine Chapel) 1515

This is Raphael’s cartoon for "The Blinding of Elymas," a tapestry commissioned in the 16th century for the Sistine Chapel. Raphael was a key figure of the High Renaissance, and this work reflects the era’s emphasis on classical themes and humanist values. The tapestry narrates a scene from the Acts of the Apostles. Here, Saint Paul blinds Elymas, a sorcerer, who tried to prevent a Roman proconsul from converting to Christianity. In this moment, you can see how questions of religious authority and cultural conversion were deeply embedded in the political landscape of the time. The tapestry becomes a space where narratives of power, faith, and identity intersect. Its emotional intensity conveys both the triumph of Christianity and the violent suppression of other beliefs, prompting us to consider the complexities of cultural exchange and the imposition of religious ideologies.