The Renaissance popes were possessed of so great wealth, and spent it to such purpose, that its spending influenced the art of their age.

Many of the rooms in the Vatican had been decorated by Botticelli and other good artists of the previous half-century, but already the new pope considered their work out of date and ordered it to be replaced by Michelangelo and Raphael.

For nine years Raphael worked at the decoration of the palace, always being pressed, hurried, and even worried by two successive popes who employed him.

The wall spaces which he had to fill were often awkwardly broken up with windows and doors, but he easily overcame whatever difficulties were encountered.

To succeed apparently without struggle was a peculiar gift granted to Raphael above any other artist of his day.