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Tomb of Raphael, Pantheon, Rome
I found this tomb surprisingly moving, I
think for several reasons. It is not at all ostentatious (in contrast to
that of Vittorio Emanuele II on the opposite side of the rotunda). Its
existence here emphasizes that, unlike so many great artists, Raphael had
become so famous in his own short lifetime of 37 years that he was deemed
to merit burial among such dignitaries as popes and kings. And it is one of
those rare times when you suddenly realize that, yes, this person or place
you have heard about for as long as you can remember was actually real.
(The inscription on the tomb doesn't hurt, either; see next photo.) |
