The Vision of the Cross
Giulio Romano and workshop, after Raphael, 1520–1524
Constantine and the legions see the cross in the sky, standards raised, before the Milvian Bridge.
About this work
The Vision of the Cross is a fresco in the Hall of Constantine, the largest of the Raphael Rooms in the Vatican's Apostolic Palace, now part of the Vatican Museums. The commission was Raphael's, but he died in 1520 before this room was painted, and his assistants Giulio Romano, Gianfrancesco Penni and Raffaellino del Colle painted it between 1520 and 1524; Giulio is thought to have had the leading part in this scene. It shows the emperor Constantine addressing his troops as he marched to confront his rival Maxentius in October 312, on the eve of the Battle of the Milvian Bridge. According to the legend told by Eusebius in his Life of Constantine, a cross appeared in the sky, and the fresco paints beside it the Greek words "Εν τούτῳ νίκα", "By this, conquer", better known in Latin as In hoc signo vinces. The scene is a crowded Mannerist medley that includes a dragon, a dwarf and banners, with soldiers whose proportions shift oddly. The room as a whole celebrates the victory of Christianity over paganism, and its frescoes were completed under Pope Clement VII, whose features the painters gave to Pope Sylvester.
Sources: Wikipedia · Wikipedia: Raphael Rooms · Wikimedia Commons
Print facts
- Native resolution
- 5,016 × 3,790 px
- Sharp at 150 ppi up to
- 33 × 25 in
- Sizes
- Small (20 × 15 in) · $100 · 251 ppi
Medium (24 × 18 in) · $150 · 209 ppi
Large (36 × 27 in) · $300 · 139 ppi - Price includes
- Frame and US shipping · 14–21 days · 30-day returns
FAQ
Where can I buy a framed print of The Vision of the Cross?
Here. The Vision of the Cross is available as a framed print in three sizes: Small (20 × 15 in) for $100, Medium (24 × 18 in) for $150 and Large (36 × 27 in) for $300. Prices include the frame and US shipping; delivery takes 14–21 days, with 30-day returns.
What size works best for The Vision of the Cross?
The file is 5,016 × 3,790 px. Medium (24 × 18 in) is the largest size that prints at 150 ppi or more (209 ppi), the sharpest choice for close viewing; Large (36 × 27 in) prints at 139 ppi, fine from a few feet away but softer up close.
Is it legal to print The Vision of the Cross?
Yes. The Vision of the Cross is in the public domain: its copyright, if it ever had one, expired long ago. In the United States a faithful photograph of a public-domain painting does not create a new copyright (Bridgeman v. Corel, 1999), so the image can be printed and sold freely.
