Paul in Prison.
Raphael Tapestry.

Given its unusual dimensions the tapestry Paul in Prison must have been designed for a specific location within the Sistine Chapel.

It tells the story of Paul's imprisonment and miraculous escape. Locked in a cell with his feet in shackles Paul is deep in prayer.

At midnight, a huge earthquake destroys the foundations of the prison, the doors of the cells are flung open, and Paul's chains fall from his body.

Raphael has represented the earthquake as a herculean figure who shatters the ground and even the very border of the tapestry itself.

The cartoon for this work has been lost but the image still manages to project a strong message about the power of prayer, an extremely popular subject in Renaissance Italy.