Cappella di San Severo (Chapel of San Severo), Perugia

The Chapel of San Severo, located in Perugia, is a fascinating part of the Camaldolese convent complex adjacent to the Church of San Severo. Today, it functions as a small museum showcasing a remarkable fresco titled The Trinity and Saints (175x389 cm), a collaborative masterpiece by Raphael and Perugino, with work spanning from 1505–1508 (Raphael) to 1521 (Perugino).

Originally part of the left nave of a fifteenth-century church, the chapel now comprises a single room adjacent to the eighteenth-century structure. It is integrated into Perugia’s museum system and is managed by the Regional Directorate for Cultural and Landscape Heritage of Umbria.

The fresco, set in a pointed chapel niche, is divided into two parts. The upper section, by Raphael, portrays the Trinity with Benedictine and Camaldolese saints identified by golden inscriptions. Christ sits on a cloud throne, flanked by angels, with the Holy Spirit as a dove above. This work marks Raphael's shift to a monumental style, influenced by the Umbrian school and Fra Bartolomeo, hinting at his later masterpieces like the Disputation of the Sacrament. The lower section, finished by Perugino after Raphael died in 1520, depicts saints like Scholastica, Jerome, and John the Evangelist. While framed by a parapet, these figures lack the depth of Raphael’s style, reflecting Perugino’s older, fifteenth-century approach.

The fresco was commissioned by Troilo Baglioni, a former bishop of Perugia, and Cardinal Gabriele de' Gabrielli di Gubbio, bishop of Urbino. While the date of 1505 appears on the fresco, some scholars suggest it marks the start of the work, completed later as Raphael’s style evolved toward greater monumentality. Raphael only completed the upper part before relocating to Rome, leaving Perugino to finish the lower section in a nostalgic yet somewhat static style.

The fresco has endured over the centuries, though parts of it, including the Eternal, Saint John, and an angel, have been lost, possibly due to imperfect restorations. The work’s grandeur was praised by Vasari, who highlighted Raphael’s prominent signature.

A central niche within the chapel also houses a Madonna and Child in polychrome terracotta, a fine example of late fifteenth-century Tuscan craftsmanship, adding further charm to this compact yet historically and artistically rich space.