Raphael - The great masters of the Renaissance

Introduction video credit: Raphael video of MonitorFantasma from Pixabay.

Who was he? Let’s refresh our memory a bit!

Raffael Sanzio, also known as Raffaello Santi, was born on April 6th, 1483 in Urbino, Duchy of Urbino (Italy) and died on April 6th, 1520 in Rome, Papal States (Italy). He is considered a master painter and architect of the Italian High Renaissance. He was the son of Giovanni Santi and Magia di Battista Ciarla; his mother died in 1491. His father was a painter “of no great merit” but was a man of culture who was in constant contact with the advanced artistic ideas current at the court of Urbino. Raphael became one of the most famous artists of his time and is best known for his Madonnas and his large figure compositions in the Vatican.

Fra Bartolommeo, Portrait of Savonarola, c. 1498, Raphael — **Fra Bartolommeo**, *Portrait of Savonarola*, c. 1498. Oil on panel, 47 x 31 cm. Museo di San Marco, Florence.

Raphael was born into an artistic family and received a comprehensive education in painting and drawing from an early age. At the age of 17, he moved to Perugia and worked in the workshop of the painter Perugino. In the following years, he worked as an independent artist and created numerous masterpieces, including “The School of Athens“, “The Sistine Madonna”, and “The Transfiguration of Christ“.

Giorgio Vasari, Holy Family with St Francis in a Landscape, 1542, Raphael — **Giorgio Vasari**, *Holy Family with St Francis in a Landscape*, 1542. Oil on canvas, 184.2 x 125.1 cm. Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Los Angeles.

Raphael died on his 37th birthday, April 6th, 1520, in Rome, Italy, due to a sudden illness. Although he had a short life, he is considered one of the most significant artists of the Renaissance, and his influence on the history of art remains palpable to this day.

St George and the Dragon, c. 1506, Raphael — *St George and the Dragon*, c. 1506. Oil on panel, 28.5 x 21.5 cm. Andrew W. Mellon Collection, National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.

In his work, Raphael combined the beauty and harmony of antiquity with the Christian art tradition. He created works that exhibited emotional depth as well as intellectual complexity. His work influenced many later artists and became the epitome of Renaissance art.

The Solly Madonna, c. 1502, Raphael — *The Solly Madonna*, c. 1502. Oil on wood, 52 x 38 cm. Gemäldegalerie, Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, Berlin.

In summary, Raphael was a master of the Italian High Renaissance and is considered one of the most significant artists in the history of art. His work has shaped the art world to this day and will continue to inspire and influence for a long time to come.

To get a better insight into The ultimate book on Raphael, continue this exciting adventure by clicking on:

Ebook: Amazon US, Amazon UK, Amazon Australia, Amazon French, Amazon German, Amazon Mexico, Amazon Italy, Amazon Spain, Amazon Canada, Amazon Brazil, Amazon Japan, Amazon India, Amazon Netherlands, Parkstone International, Ebook Gallery, Kobo, Barnes & Noble, Google, Apple, Scribd, Bookbeat,
24symbols, Ellibs, Goodreads