Raphael's authorship in the 'Expulsion of Heliodorus.' - interpretation of court painter Raphael's mural

Designated by the pope himself, the back litter bearer looks out to the viewer and steps toward the historical action. He also carries on his shoulder a pole supporting the papal sedia, the end of which protrudes out beyond the rightmost contour of the papal entourage. With his hand holding this pole, he not only steps rightward but also "points" toward the historical scene. In a remarkably subtle and unobtrusive manner, he performs the same combination of acts as does the figure of Saint John the Baptist who in so many altarpieces boldly looks out and designates some feature of the image world.(24)

The face of the back litter bearer is seen in three-quarter presentation; he gazes out from over his right shoulder. This aspect is often associated with self-portraits, since in using a mirror to see one's features the painter or draughtsperson is restricted to a full-face or three-quarter view.(25) Although in reverse, the face of this figure is not so different in angle from the self-portrait of Raphael in the School of Athens [ILLUSTRATION FOR FIGURE 4 OMITTED]. Given this figure's special importance, function in the painting, and facial aspect, we may identify the back litter bearer as Raphael.(26) The new growth of facial hair would even seem to anticipate the full-grown beard of the painter as depicted in the later Louvre double portrait [ILLUSTRATION FOR FIGURE 5 OMITTED].

The Expulsion of Heliodorus thus contains portraits of both patron and painter, Pope Julius II and Raphael. The two interact. Raphael is in service to his lord, physically bearing the papal sedia, while Julius singles out his painter, who in turn addresses the courtly audience and points toward the historical action.

Portraits of patron and painter appear together in earlier central Italian paintings, with the relationship between the two variously laid out.(27) In Fra Filippo Lippi's altarpiece of the Coronation of the Virgin from the 1440s, originally for S. Ambrogio at Florence and now in the Uffizi, the donor Francesco Maringhi kneels in prayer at far right, under the pointing gesture of the Baptist, while in symmetrical counterposition at left the painter-monk Lippi, with hand supporting chin, looks out to us [ILLUSTRATION FOR FIGURE 6 OMITTED].(28) Although the painter is on the right side of God the Father crowning the Virgin, he is in a more shadowy region than is the patron. Moreover, the donor receives a heavenly message from an angel bearing a banderole with words labeling Maringhi as the chief human agent responsible for this most perfect work in honor of God.(29) Whereas the painter looks out to make eye contact with the earthly audience, the praying donor appears to be in pious contemplation of higher beings.(30)

Some three decades later in date, Botticelli's small altarpiece of the Adoration of the Magi, today in the Uffizi, also seems to portray both patron and painter [ILLUSTRATION FOR FIGURE 7 OMITTED].(31) They are the only figures on the right side who look out. The patron, Guasparre dal Lama, stands among members of the Magi retinue, which consists of several portraits of contemporary Florentines. He holds his garment in such a manner that he surreptitiously points to himself as if saying to the viewer: "me." The painter Botticelli, whose outward glance echoes that of his patron, stands in the right foreground outside the ring of the retinue. This altarpiece registers a notable shift in spirit from that of the Maringhi Coronation. The patron here, like the painter, looks out to encounter the contemporary audience. Instead of a pious gesture of heaven-directed prayer, he signals a modest self-designation of his own importance. The painter for his part stands not too far away from the Magi group, indicating that he is a sort of outside associate of the powerful and wealthy Florentines portrayed there. Lower in the image field than the patron and not actually part of the retinue, the painter is closer to the viewing audience.