A team from the University of Rome has succeeded in reconstructing in 3D the face of the painter Raphael from a plaster cast of his skull, she announced in a press release on Thursday, confirming the authenticity of his remains in the Pantheon. " The analysis of the plaster cast of Raphael's skull (1483-1520) carried out in 1833 (at the time of the opening of the artist's tomb, editor's note) made it possible to reconstruct in 3D the face " of the master of the Renaissance died prematurely at the age of 37 in Rome, where he is buried under the dome of the Pantheon.
Read also: Exhibited in Rome, Raphael's portrait of Pope Leo X at the center of a controversy
Recurring doubts about the authenticity of the painter's remains have tormented his admirers for centuries. “ Until now, we were not certain that the remains found and preserved in the Pantheon were indeed those of Raphael, ” recalls Professor Mattia Falconi, specialist in molecular biology at the University of Rome. During the research near the painter's tomb, many other burials were found, including those of some of his students, as well as many pieces of skeletons.
" Facial reconstruction is an interdisciplinary technique able to recreate, based exclusively on the morphology of the skull, the face of a person at the time of his death ", explain Cristina Martinez-Labarga, professor of forensic anthropology, and Professor Raoul Carbone, 3D graphic designer applied to forensic sciences.
To read also: Raphaël, the greatest passion of the Duke of Aumale
This work made it possible to establish " for the first time " that " the remains preserved in the tomb of the Pantheon belong to the Renaissance artist, whose 500th anniversary of death is being commemorated this year ", explained the department of Biology of the Tor Vergata University in Rome, which in particular used comparisons with the painter's self-portraits.
In addition, this research - carried out by the Center of Molecular Anthropology for the Study of Ancient DNA of the Biology Department of the University of Rome, in collaboration with the Vigamus Foundation and the Raphael Academy, which manages the museum created in his birthplace in Urbino " pave the way for future studies on bone remains, intended to determine certain characters of the character linked to his DNA ", such as the color of the eyes, hair or skin.
Read also: Raphael: Rome's homage to its divine artist
" The complete scientific work on 3D facial reconstruction will soon be offered for publication in the (scientific) journal Nature", according to the press release, and a life-size 3D print of Raphael's bust will be permanently exhibited at the occupying museum. his birthplace in Urbino.
Mourned by his contemporaries, Raphael was entitled to a grandiose funeral at his death in the Vatican. Raphael produced a large number of major works, much of which is in the Vatican.
