The Fire in the Borgo is a painting by the workshop of Raphael, created between 1514 and 1517. It depicts Pope Leo IV stopping a fire from destroying Borgo, located near St. Peter’s Basilica. The painting is known for its complex composition and manipulation of stylistic idioms.
Raphael’s workshop painting style differs from his usual spacious and airy works. This fresco was most likely painted by his assistant, Giulio Romano. Modern scholars have criticized the artwork for its lack of proportion, narrative, and structural coherence.
The Room of the Fire in the Borgo was used for meetings when it was first created. Later on, Pope Leo X decided to transform it into a hall for music and dining and asked Raphael to decorate it accordingly. This painting is located in the Palazzo Apostolico in the Vatican while an accurate reproduction can be seen at The Royal Academy of Arts in London, done by Giuseppe Cades.
