The Death of Ananias £20
after Raphael, 19th-century London engraving
from the Sistine Chapel series (c.1514 designs)
Peter’s miracles can heal or punish. In this scene the apostles have instructed the Christian community to sell their property and donate the proceeds for common use. Ananias secretly withholds a portion of the money and, when questioned by Peter, denies it. He falls dead at Peter’s feet, having sinned by lying and by stealing from the Church. His wife Sapphira, seen counting coins, would suffer the same fate moments later.
Several figures reinforce the moral contrasts within the scene: the mirror held in the window alludes to vanity, while other apostles distribute alms to the poor.
Raphael drew consciously on classical models. The pose of Ananias recalls the antique statue of the Dying Gaul, a Roman copy of a lost work by the Pergamene sculptor Epigonus (late 3rd century BC). The overall composition refers to the relief Oratio Augusti on the Arch of Constantine in Rome.
To purchase, email cordeliaprintsdecorativeart@gmail.com with the print title and your location. UK and international shipping available.
The Miraculous Draught of Fishes £20
after Raphael, 19th-century London engraving
from the Sistine Chapel series (c.1514 designs)
This scene depicts the moment when the fisherman Simon, later renamed Peter, is called as the first apostle of Jesus Christ. Having fished unsuccessfully on the Lake of Gennesaret, Simon is instructed by Jesus to cast his nets once more. The catch is so abundant that the boat overflows. Overwhelmed by the miracle, Simon declares himself unworthy. Jesus responds, “Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men,” announcing Simon’s future role in spreading the Christian faith.
Iconographic details reinforce the narrative: the cranes on the riverbank symbolise vigilance, a virtue expected of spiritual leaders, while the ravens circling above allude to sin.
To purchase, email cordeliaprintsdecorativeart@gmail.com with the print title and your location. UK and international shipping available.
Elymas Struck Blind £20
after Raphael, 19th-century London engraving
from the Sistine Chapel series (c.1514 designs)
Paul and Barnabas are summoned before the Roman proconsul Lucius Sergius Paulus, who wishes to hear their teaching. The sorcerer Elymas attempts to prevent the conversion of the proconsul, so Paul punishes him with temporary blindness. Astonished by what he sees, the proconsul embraces the Christian faith.
The plinth inscription reads: “Through the preaching of Saul, Sergius Paulus, Proconsul of Asia, embraces the Christian faith.” Tradition holds that Saul took the name Paul after the proconsul’s own name (Paulus).
To purchase, email cordeliaprintsdecorativeart@gmail.com with the print title and your location. UK and international shipping available.
Paul Preaching at Athens £20
after Raphael, 19th-century London engraving
from the Sistine Chapel series (c.1514 designs)
Paul stands on a platform in the Athenian agora, addressing the Areopagus on the nature of the divine and the immortality of the soul. His audience displays the traditional spectrum: astonishment, contemplation, and scepticism.
Behind Paul appears the portrait of Pope Leo X, who commissioned Raphael’s original designs.
The statue of Ares (Mars) faces away from Paul, highlighting contrast between the ancient faith of the city and the message Paul brings.
The attentive couple at right are Dionysius the Areopagite, later venerated as a Christian saint, and a woman named Damaris.
To purchase, email cordeliaprintsdecorativeart@gmail.com with the print title and your location. UK and international shipping available.
Peter and John at the Beautiful Gate £20
after Raphael, 19th-century London engraving
from the Sistine Chapel series, c.1514 designs
This scene shows the first miracle of Peter (Acts 3:7). In the foreground Peter takes the hand of a lame man and tells him to rise and walk; the man is instantly cured and follows him into the Temple. The miracle unfolds before the Beautiful Gate (Porta Speciosa) of the Temple in Jerusalem.
The twisted Solomonic columns, traditionally thought to have come from the Temple of Solomon, later adorned Old St Peter’s Basilica in Rome.
John the Evangelist, one of the Twelve, witnesses the miracle.
The woman carrying a basket on her head likely derives from Donatello’s lost statue Dovizia (Abundance).
In keeping with tradition, the scene includes men arriving at the Temple with their children: a miraculous event unfolding amid ordinary daily life.
To purchase, email cordeliaprintsdecorativeart@gmail.com with the print title and your location. UK and international shipping available.
The Miraculous Draught of Fishes £20
after Raphael, 19th-century London engraving
from the Sistine Chapel series (c.1514 designs)
This scene depicts the moment when the fisherman Simon, later renamed Peter, is called as the first apostle of Jesus Christ. Having fished unsuccessfully on the Lake of Gennesaret, Simon is instructed by Jesus to cast his nets once more. The catch is so abundant that the boat overflows. Overwhelmed by the miracle, Simon declares himself unworthy. Jesus responds, “Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men,” announcing Simon’s future role in spreading the Christian faith.
Iconographic details reinforce the narrative: the cranes on the riverbank symbolise vigilance, a virtue expected of spiritual leaders, while the ravens circling above allude to sin.
To purchase, email cordeliaprintsdecorativeart@gmail.com with the print title and your location. UK and international shipping available.