Raphael Sanzio (better known as simply Raphael) was born on April 6, 1483, in Urbino, Italy. As a child, his father, Giovanni Santi, taught him how to paint, as he was also a painter. Soon after his father died, he began his apprenticeship in Perugia at a young age. Upon arriving in Perugia, he found inspiration through his mentor, Perugino, who heavily influenced one of his first notable paintings, “The Marriage of the Virgin” (1504).
Later in 1504, Raphael moved to Florence, where he studied the works of Leonardo Da Vinci, Michelangelo, and Fra Bartolommeo. He was particularly captivated by Da Vinci’s chiaroscuro (light and dark contrast) and sfumato (soft shading) techniques, where he notably “avoid[ed] giving his figures a harsh and rigid appearance,” (Gombrich 345). Throughout his four years in Florence, he gained a bit of popularity and recognition as a talented young artist.
In 1508, Raphael was called to Rome by Pope Julius II to paint the inside of the Vatican Palace, where his paintings the “Disputation of the Holy Sacrament” (1510) and the “School of Athens” (1511) were displayed. Raphael also completed a series of Madonna paintings from 1508 to 1513, which were heavily influenced by Da Vinci’s “Madonna Litta” (1490). In 1517, Raphael was commissioned to paint an altarpiece depicting Christ’s Transfiguration, however, the painting was left unfinished as he unexpectedly died at age 37 on his birthday (April 6, 1520). The unfinished painting was displayed above his body at the funeral mass in the Vatican, however, the painting was later completed by Giulio Romano.
Sources: Gombrich, Ernst Hans. The Story of Art. Phaidon Press, 2016. The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. “Raphael.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 2 Apr. 2020, www.britannica.com/biography/Raphael-Italian-painter-and-architect. “Raphael.” Biography.com, A&E Networks Television, 17 Oct. 2019, www.biography.com/artist/raphael. Images: http://www.raphael-sanzio.com/quotes/ http://totallyhistory.com/the-marriage-of-the-virgin/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disputation_of_the_Holy_Sacrament https://www.nga.gov/collection/art-object-page.26.html https://www.wga.hu/html_m/r/raphael/5roma/5/10trans.html
Jordan,
Very good work on Raphael! You’ve included solid research mixed in with personal feelings about the artist and his paintings. That is just what I’m looking for in these blogs. I’ve stood in front of the School of Athens in the Vatican and was just floored by it. What an artist. By the way Fra Bartolomeo is spelled with only one m.
Jeff