Raffaello - Skizzen zum Grundriss von St. Peter, 237v

This drawing consists of red and black chalk outlines exploring structural elements for a church. On the left, curved lines indicate an ambulatory or a large hemispherical space, while the right side shows more angular modules for architectural piers and wall segments. The page captures the iterative process of designing one of the most significant sacred structures of the Renaissance.

Raphael’s work on St. Peter’s reflects the Renaissance obsession with 'sacred geometry' and the Neoplatonic ideal of the centrally planned church, which was intended to mirror the perfection of the cosmos. This architectural philosophy was heavily influenced by the recovery of Vitruvius and the belief that building proportions should correspond to the harmonies of the human body and the celestial spheres.