Raffaello Sanzio
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What you need to know about Raphael Sanzio
Raphael Sanzio was born on April 6, 1483, in Urbino and died on April 6, 1520, in Rome, at the age of 37.
Raphael Sanzio, better known as Raphael, was one of the greatest painters and architects of the Italian Renaissance, famous for his ability to combine harmony, proportion and classical beauty in his works. Raphael was a central figure in Renaissance art, influencing many artists of later generations.
Life: Raphael was born into a family of artists: his father, Giovanni Santi, was a painter at the court of the Duke of Urbino. From an early age, Raphael showed exceptional talent for drawing and painting. When his father died, he was entrusted to various local artists and later moved to Perugia, where he was a pupil of the famous painter Pietro Perugino. From Perugino he learned a gentle and harmonious style, which, however, soon evolved into his own stylistic signature. Beginning in 1504 he moved to Florence, where he came into contact with the work of Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo, from whom he drew inspiration to develop a refined and complex art. In 1508 he moved to Rome at the invitation of Pope Julius II to work in the Vatican Rooms, a prestigious assignment that contributed greatly to his fame.
Education and early years: Raphael was born into an artistic environment through the influence of his father, Giovanni Santi, who worked at the court of the Duke of Urbino. Urbino at the time was a major cultural center, which provided Raphael with a solid intellectual and artistic foundation. After his father’s death in 1494, Raphael was entrusted to the guardianship of his uncle, who oversaw his education. From a very young age, he demonstrated an extraordinary ability to assimilate the techniques of the masters and improve his skills. When he moved to Perugia, he entered the workshop of Pietro Perugino, one of the most accomplished artists of the time. Here Raphael learned the use of perspective, orderly composition and the sweetness of figures, hallmarks of Perugino’s style that strongly influenced his early works.
Florentine period (1504-1508): While in Florence, Raphael came into contact with some of the greatest artists of the Renaissance, such as Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo. He was particularly impressed by Leonardo’s studies on perspective and innovative use of light and shadow, as well as by the monumentality of Michelangelo’s figures. However, Raphael developed his own pictorial language that, while influenced by his contemporaries, was characterized by an unparalleled grace and serenity. It was during this period that Raphael produced some of his most famous Madonnas. Among the most important: “Madonna of the Goldfinch”: here, the Virgin Mary is depicted in a natural landscape, with a young Jesus and St. John the Baptist, holding a goldfinch (a symbol of the Passion of Christ). The delicacy of the gestures and the harmony of the composition are typical of Raphael’s style. “Madonna del Prato”: another example of Raphael using nature to create a serene and idyllic scene, with an obvious Leonardo influence in the triangular composition.
Roman Period (1508-1520): In 1508, Raphael was called to Rome by Pope Julius II, who commissioned him to decorate the Vatican Stanze, the cycle of frescoes that would mark one of the high points of his career. The “Raphael Rooms” are four rooms decorated with scenes depicting philosophical, religious, historical and artistic themes, and constitute one of the absolute masterpieces of the Renaissance. “The School of Athens”: one of Raphael’s most famous frescoes, located in the Stanza della Segnatura. It depicts the great philosophers of antiquity, including Plato and Aristotle, with masterful use of perspective and a composition that expresses the Renaissance ideal of intellectual harmony. “Dispute of the Sacrament”: another fresco in the Stanza della Segnatura, depicting the triumph of faith and the union of heaven and earth in a majestic and complex scene.
Architecture and papal appointments: In addition to being an extraordinary painter, Raphael was also an important architect. Upon the death of Donato Bramante, he inherited responsibility for overseeing work on the “Basilica of St. Peter’s,” although his untimely death prevented him from seeing many of his designs completed. His vision for architecture was influenced by classical harmony, with a strong appeal to the purity of geometric forms.
The cartoons for the Sistine Tapestries: Another important contribution of Raphael is the preparatory cartoons for the tapestries in the Sistine Chapel. These tapestries, illustrating episodes from the “Acts of the Apostles,” were commissioned by Pope Leo X to decorate the lower walls of the chapel. Raphael’s cartoons are now considered masterpieces in their own right and are kept at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.
His death and legacy: Raphael died suddenly on April 6, 1520, on his 37th birthday, leaving his last masterpiece, “The Transfiguration,” unfinished. His death was considered a tragedy for the art world, and he was buried with full honors in Rome’s Pantheon, a sign of his greatness and prestige. His tomb has a plaque bearing the inscription of Pietro Bembo, who wrote, “Here lies Raphael: while he was alive, nature feared to be vanquished; now that he is dead, he fears to die.” Raphael’s influence was immense: not only did he inspire generations of artists during the Renaissance, but his style was adopted as a model by the Academy of Fine Arts throughout Europe during the Neoclassical period. His drawings, frescoes and paintings are still among the most studied and admired works of art in the world.
Works
The Vatican Rooms: commissioned by Pope Julius II, they are probably Raphael’s most famous fresco cycle, located in the Apostolic Palace in the Vatican. The four rooms include famous works such as the “School of Athens,” which depicts ancient philosophers and embodies the spirit of the Renaissance.
Madonnas: Raphael painted numerous depictions of the Virgin Mary, characterized by a unique gentleness and grace. Among the most famous are the “Madonna of the Goldfinch,” the “Sistine Madonna,” and the “Madonna of the Seat.”
Portrait of Baldassarre Castiglione: This portrait of one of the most important intellectuals of the time expresses the depth and character of the subject through extraordinary sensitivity.
Transfiguration: this work was Raphael’s last painting, left unfinished at his death and considered one of his masterpieces. The painting, preserved in the Vatican Museums, shows the contrast between the earthly and heavenly scenes, with dramatic effect and complex composition.
Vatican Loggias: Raphael was also responsible for decorating the Loggias of the Apostolic Palace, where he created a decorative cycle known as “Raphael’s Loggias,” in which his style is expressed in an incredible decorative and narrative range.
Curiosities
The Portrait in the “School of Athens”: Raphael included his self-portrait in the famous “School of Athens” in the Vatican Stanze. It is located on the right side of the fresco, among the philosophers of antiquity. This was a way of symbolically affirming his membership in the tradition of intellectuals and artists.
Raphael and love: Raphael was known to be a very charming and beloved man, not only for his talent but also for his character. He was famous for his love affairs, particularly with a woman named “Margherita Luti,” better known as “La Fornarina,” the daughter of a Roman baker. It is said that she was the muse for many of his works, and the portrait of “La Fornarina” may be a representation of her, The painting today is part of the collection on display at Palazzo Barberini.
The Myth of His Premature Death: Raphael’s death on April 6, 1520, at only 37 years of age, is surrounded by mystery and curiosity. According to biographer Giorgio Vasari’s account, Raphael died of a fever that arose after “amorous excesses” and because the painter would not reveal the cause to his physician. This is a popular story, but it is unclear whether it really happened that way.
A successful artist with a large workshop: Raphael was much admired and in demand, so much so that he had a large workshop, one of the most organized of his time. He managed a large team of artists and assistants, who carried out many of his commissions under his supervision. Some works attributed to Raphael may in fact have been done at least in part by his assistants.
The Pantheon: the site of his burial: Raphael was one of the few artists buried in Rome’s Pantheon, an honor reserved only for the most important figures. His tomb is still there, and his tombstone bears Pietro Bembo’s epitaph: “Here lies Raphael; while he lived, nature feared to be overcome, now that he is dead, he fears to die.” This inscription pays tribute to Raphael’s incredible talent, seen as almost superior to nature itself.
Love of classical antiquity: Raphael nurtured a great passion for antiquity and classical culture. In 1515, Pope Leo X entrusted him with the responsibility of preserving and documenting the antiquities of Rome, with the aim of preventing them from being destroyed. He was one of the first artists to be involved in the protection of historical heritage.
Raphael’s Loggia: The loggias in the Apostolic Palace, known as the “Loggias of Raphael,” were decorated with a series of frescoes called “Biblical Stories.” This design, not completed by Raphael but by his pupils, inspired the architecture of courtyards and loggias in aristocratic palaces throughout Europe. This style of decoration is also known as “grotesques,” as it was inspired by the decorations of ancient Roman grottoes particularly it is said from the “Domus Aurea.”
Influence on later generations: Raphael’s style became the academic model for centuries. Artists such as Titian, Poussin, and Ingres studied his works as a canon of aesthetic perfection. Even today, many art academies teach Raphael’s style for its ideal and harmonious beauty.
A beloved figure even in later centuries: During Romanticism and Neoclassicism, Raphael was considered the artist par excellence. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, one of Germany’s greatest intellectuals, wrote an essay on the “Sistine Madonna,” expressing the deep emotion aroused by Raphael’s painting. The cult of Raphael as a “divine” painter reached its peak during this period.
Tapestries for the Sistine Chapel: Pope Leo X commissioned Raphael to make a series of cartoons for tapestries that decorate the lower walls of the Sistine Chapel. These tapestries depict episodes from the Acts of the Apostles and are considered masterpieces of Renaissance art. They were made by weavers in Brussels, making their execution a monumental and prestigious work, and the original cartoons are now in the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.
The contrasting relationship with Michelangelo: Despite mutual esteem, the relationship between Raphael and Michelangelo was characterized by rivalry. Michelangelo, in particular, was known to be jealous of the young painter and accused him of imitating his style. However, the two inspired each other and both helped define Renaissance art.
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