Petrarch and Sappho in Parnassus

The drawing depicts the Greek poet Sappho reclining on a hillside, holding a small placard inscribed with her name. To her left stands a group of figures in draped robes, including the Italian poet Petrarch, identifiable by his distinctive hooded Florentine cap. This brown wash study focuses on the humanistic assembly of classical and medieval literary figures found in the Stanza della Segnatura.

Raphael’s original composition illustrates the Neoplatonic concept of 'divine frenzy' (furor poeticus), a state of inspiration where the soul is elevated by the Muses. This intellectual program, influenced by Marsilio Ficino, sought to harmonize classical pagan wisdom with Renaissance Christian thought.