A dragon is slain by St George who 'saves' the Princes

Date

1506

Description

Creator of the image: Raphael
Date of the image creation: 1506
Medium: Oil on panel
Person depicted: Saint George

The Italian Renaissance master Raphael created this small painting under the patronage of the Duke of Urbino, the city in which Raphael was born. It is believed that the painting was created as a present for King Henry VII of England. The picture depicts the traditional subject of Saint George and the dragon, the story of a Roman Christian soldier who saved the daughter of a pagan from a fearsome dragon.

This tale of chivalric order and Christian conquest is carefully captured in Raphael’s painting. The brave and haloed knight sits balanced on his noble mount, who looks back at the viewer with a seeming conspiratorial glance. Saint George, using the weight of his rearing horse, effortlessly runs his lance through the fearsome — if rather small — dragon. The princess watches on in submissive awe at the glorious spectacle.

After subduing the dragon, the princess led the knight into the city, whereupon the he slaughtered the beast before a crowd, thus prompting the king and all his subjects to spontaneously convert to Christianity. And they all lived happily ever after.

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