After Raphael - The head and a hand of an apostle for 'The Transfiguration' c.1853-1876

This drawing features a youthful man in profile with thick, curly hair and his mouth slightly parted. To the right of the face, a detached hand is shown with a pointing index finger, positioned as if indicating a significant event or person. The image focuses on the psychological intensity and physical precision used to convey a reaction to a divine miracle.

Raphael's 'The Transfiguration' is a central work in the Neoplatonic synthesis of the Renaissance, depicting the dual nature of reality: the chaotic, suffering world below and the luminous, divine realm above. This apostle belongs to the terrestrial group, representing the human struggle to perceive and communicate the light of the divine, a theme central to the writings of thinkers like Marsilio Ficino.