Magister Raffaello premieres in the UK at Dovecot, a world-renowned tapestry studio. The exhibition, promoted in partnership with the Italian Cultural Institute, is also part of Edinburgh Art Festival and Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

Visitors will travel to Raphael’s birthplace Urbino, and explore Florence and Rome in a unique multimedia experience. Moreover, they will also have the opportunity to discover Raphael as a talented tapestry designer. In fact, in 1513, Raphael was commissioned to design 10 tapestries to depict the lives of the apostles Saint Peter and Saint Paul for the Sistine Chapel. The resulting designs known as the Raphael Cartoons were created to scale and were woven in Brussels.

As an internationally renowned tapestry studio, Dovecot has undertaken a special project to be displayed alongside the exhibition Magister Raffaello: its weavers have undertaken the challenge of weaving a section of Raphael’s design from The Miraculous Draught of Fishes (1515-16) to create a contemporary tapestry.

Celia Joicey, Director of Dovecot Studios, says, “This hugely innovative exhibition is an opportunity for Scottish audiences to experience the work of Raphael, one of the world’s greatest artistic geniuses, in a completely new way. Connecting Raphael’s impact on tapestry and the work of internationally renowned tapestry studio Dovecot, our weavers have also been set the unique opportunity to reimagine the work of a Renaissance Master through an exciting 21st century tapestry.”