The Dragon's Trail: The Biography of Raphael's Masterpiece

by Joanna Pitman

A history of Raphael's St. George and the Dragon masterpiece documents its commission by Duke Guidobaldo da Montefeltro in 1506; its subsequent ownership by such monarchs as Henry VII, Charles I, and Catherine the Great; and its illegal sale by Stalin to Andrew Mellon in 1930. 40,000 first printing.

Genres: Art, History, Nonfiction

304 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2006

Reviews

[Laurie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I hesitated to get this book, thinking it might be very dry reading, but it was actually quite compelling. I learned some history along the way and realized all these masterpieces you see in museums have quite a story behind them.

[Brian Kovesci · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't really care for Raphael so the painting itself doesn't interest me, but this book could have been about any painting since it's real story is the journey of the painting: Italy to England to Russia to the United States.

I needed this kind of a reminder because I tend to walk through Renaissance exhibits in museums. It's like, okay, another foreign royal who looks gay I don't care about. But the painting is an object that has passed through many hands. It has been in precarious situations the work itself doesn't convey. The subject of this book could have met its end in a fire, in a flood or in harsh weather in transit. It survived overthrown governments and world wars and economic downturns and upturns.

I now want a history like this of paintings I actually care about.

[Brittany London Gingerich · Rating 4 out of 5]

If I could give 3.5 stars, that's what I'd give. Parts were very drawn out that I felt could've been more concise. The cultural and historical context was fascinating overall.

[Gail Kennon · Rating 3 out of 5]

could have been a little shorter with less details on surrounding characters and history but overall a very interesting history of the life of a painting with some specualtion about its early years.

[David Serxner · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wish I could say this was a fantastic book, but I cannot. It is a history of Raphael's masterpiece "St. George and the Dragon" in the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC. I was up this weekend and bought a damaged copy in the sale rack in the Gallery Bookshop. The book is inexpensive enough, only $25.00 hardcover, which is a nice price. There are no color illustrations, only small details of the Raphael for each new chapter, and no other illustrations of anything else at all. There is no bibliography, there are no end notes. All of the interesting quotes are not cited, so you cannot, unless you are a detective or a scholar, find any of the sources Ms Pitman has used. Also, not to nitpick, but the Vermer "Head of a Girl with a Pearl Earring" is in The Hauge in the Mauritshaus, not in Amsterdam in the Rijksmueum. Still, it is a fascinating story of art, intrigue, collecting, the disease that is collecting, and some of the most interesting periods in European (and later on, American) history. This little gem of a painting (and it is a favorite of mine--but I like his portraits better) was painted in Italy as a present to an English King, was sold to a collector in France, then purchased by Catherine the Great for her collection in the Hermitage and Winter Palace. It just survived the Russian Revolution, only to be sold by Stalin to Andrew Mellon, who gave it, along with the rest of his collection of paintings, to form the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC. What I find to be the most amazing thing is the reaction to the sale by the current director of the Hermitage, Mikhail Piotrovsky. He all but cries huge sobs and refrains from tearing out his hair over the sale by Stalin of treasures from the collection (that is a different debate); however, he does not see the problem in having a collection of early 20th century art, masterpieces by Picasso, Matisse, and others that were looted by the Soviets from Russian private collectors after the revolution. Also, look at all of the works of art: paintings, drawings, and the archaeologist Heinrich Schliemann 's treasures from "Troy," from Museums and collections in Berlin and Germany that were looted by the Red Army during the end phases of WWII. Now, now Mr Piotrovsky, you cannot have it both ways...

Is this a good book? Well, yes and no. It is a good read for a person who wants a really fascinating adventure story--because for me as an art history wonk, it is a fascinating adventure. For me as a person with a degree in Art History, not so much a good book. Reasonably priced, yes, but it suffers from the lack of illustrations, and it REALLY suffers from the lack of notes and a bibliography. Also, did Ms Pitman have to repeat the rumor about Catherine the Great and the horse? Talk about trying to appeal to the lowest common denominator. We all know the story, and most of us know the truth. Catherine died of a stroke, but she lay there, dying for a while, whilst her son searched to make sure he had not been cut out of the line of succession. So why repeat the dirty little tale?

I finished the book in three days. Bought it on Friday, finished it on Monday home sick in bed. If any of my friends want to borrow it, this is one that I would consider lending...

[JennyB · Rating 3 out of 5]

Raphael's St George and the Dragon's peripatetic journey to end up in the National Gallery in DC is a hugely interesting tale. The way that tale is told in this book... Well, let's just say that the book doesn't diminish the interest of its provenance, but at times it doesn't contribute hugely to it either. My main gripe is that every person whose hands this painting passed through is characterized the same way: ambitious, greedy and grasping art collectors, slavering after the status this tiny masterpiece could confer upon them. Really? Could not one of them genuinely have loved this because it's a beautiful work of art? Isn't it just possible that one of them wasn't a social climbing snob, or a rapacious sovereign demonstrating their own power and glory? Basically, where the author is left to fill in the blank, she fills in the same blank, over and over. Despite that, if you're interested in this kind of thing, the book is a good, quick read, and you'll appreciate knowing the background of it even more the next time you find yourself in Room 20, gazing upon the small but humbling St George. (Incidentally, there is another, larger version of St George and the Dragon on another wall in room 20, behind you and to the right, and I must admit, I like the power and the drama of that version more!)

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love biographies of paintings, and this one was as wonderful as I'd hoped. The author's quest to untangle into all the owners of Raphael's "St George and the Dragon" read like a novel - so many huge players, Henry VII, Charles I, Catherine the Great, Andrew Mellon ... You couldn't make it up! Just a couple of quibbles. She mentions seeing Vermeer's "Girl with a Pearl Earring" in the Rijksmuseum, but that painting is in the Mauritshuis in The Hague and I wondered why she didn't include a bibliography, or at least further reading.

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Full Review at Booklikes

I am always amazed at how small this painting it is. I’ve seen it plenty of times, but its size surprises me. I always think it should be bigger. But for all its smallness, it is a very impressive painting.



Pitman’s book is a history of the painting, much like the television series Private Life of a Masterpiece (which if you haven’t seen, you should).

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

So I just can't finish this book. Partly 'cuz I'm too damn busy and partly 'cuz sometimes I'm just not into it. It's basically the provenance of a Raphael painting. It tells the history of all the different people who owned it over the centuries. There's more about the collectors than there is about the painting. Of course, I knew this when I bought it.

[Kristin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I never really thought about the history of ownership of Raphael's St. George and the Dragon, which is odd considering I'm one of the many people who have fallen under it's spell. It is just too bad that this book had to deal with the author's flights of fancy at times. I wish there were citations at the end of the book.

[Holly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Perfect book to engage the general reader with art history, perfect for young adult to adult readers with a bit of curiosity about a good story about a little painting making its rounds through history.

[Martha · Rating 2 out of 5]

A nice biography book of a great painting. The author gets a little rambling & redundant sometimes, but I enjoyed it.

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really good book about Raphael's St. George and the Dragon. It follows the trail of the painting and most of its owners. A very interesting read!

[Stephanie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm only in the beginning, but so far I can say the writing is completely dull. Which is too bad, because the story itself is good.

[Veronica · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very interesting look into the life and history of a painting. The people who owned and sought it, and the political and social changes witnessed by it were fascinating.

[Roxie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Total disappointment

[Pascal Blanquer · Rating 2 out of 5]

Could have been a great book
Great topic but bit boring and not well written