Rafael Santi short message about the Italian artist, master of graphics and architecture, representative of the picturesque Umbrian school, you will read in this article.
"Raphael Santi" report
Where was Rafael Santi born?
The future artist was born on April 6, 1483 in the town of Urbino (Italy) in the family of a decorator and artist. The father, noticing his son's ability to paint, began to take him with him to work in the palace. A boy from an early age communicated with famous by Italian masters brushes: Piero della Francesca, Paolo Uccello and Luca Signorelli.
At the age of 8, the boy lost his mother. His father did not remain a widower for a long time and brought a new wife into the house. The stepmother did not really like Rafael. After another 4 years, he was left without a father. Santi's trustees send him to Pietro Vannucci to study in Perugia, where he studied until 1504. Thanks to his charm and friendliness, the young man easily met people and made a lot of friends. Soon, his work was practically no different from the paintings of the teacher Vannucci.
Following his mentor, in 1504 he moved to Florence. Here he begins to develop his own style of painting, Raphael puts all his longing for his mother into them, creating many Madonnas.
Pope Julius II, being impressed by the work of Santi, in 1508 invited him to Rome so that the artist painted the old Vatican Palace. From 1509, he painted the rooms of the palace, putting all his knowledge, skill and talent here. After the death of Julius, Leo X takes the place of the pope, and he appoints the artist as the chief architect of the construction of St. Peter's Basilica. Also in 1514, he became the custodian of valuables: his duties included the census and the protection of monuments. ancient rome. During his life, Rafael Santi also made such architectural works - the Chigi Chapel, the Church of Sant Eligio degli Orefici, the Church of Santa Maria del Popolo, the Vidoni Caffarelli Palace, the Branconio del Aquila Palace (now destroyed). New dad he was so afraid that the talented Santi would be lured by the French that he simply loaded him with work and encouraged him with praise and gifts. Therefore, the artist never lacked funds. The house where Rafael Santi lived was truly luxurious and built in antique style according to own project. But it did not work out with his personal life - he was a fan of the beauty of the fair sex, and was in no hurry to tie the knot. But a miracle happened! The artist met the daughter of a baker, 19-year-old Margarita Luti. Her father, for 50 gold pieces, allowed his daughter to pose for Raphael for the painting "Cupid and Psyche", and for another 3,000 gold pieces he allowed him to take Margarita with him. For 6 years, the lovers lived together. The girl never ceased to inspire the genius for new masterpieces: he created a whole cycle of Madonnas in her honor.
What did Rafael Santi die from?
The great artist died on April 6, 1520. And the causes of his death left many mysteries. It is not clear why he caught a cold. Doctors, instead of supporting his strength, made Santi bloodletting. This action killed him. By the way, Margarita Luti was assigned life maintenance, and the artist's house was transferred to her maintenance.
Raphael Santi famous paintings- "The Betrothal of the Virgin Mary", "Madonna Conestabile", "The Knight's Dream", "Three Graces", a copy of the painting by Leonardo da Vinci "Leda and the Swan", "The Entombment", "Cupid and Psyche", "Sistine Madonna", "Donna Velata", "Fornarina"
Raphael Santi was born in the city of Urbino in 1483, on April 6th. His interest in painting started quite early. His father, Giovanni Santi, worked as a court painter for the Duke of Urbino, Federigo da Montefeltro. During the time that Raphael was with his father, he had the opportunity to learn the basics of painting. At the age of 8, Rafael lost his mother, and at 11, his father. Thanks to stepmother's care and enough Money that remained after the death of his father, the master never fought for his worthy existence. In addition, he was friends with the Italian masters of that time. Through these connections, Rafael was able to become quite successful in his career quite early.
His father, when he was still alive, apparently managed to provide training for the young master. In 1500, Raphael became a student of Pietro Perugino, who was a successful artist in the city of Perugia. Within four years, Raphael mastered Perugino's technique so well that it became almost impossible to distinguish between their works. By December of the same year, Raphael had earned the title of master from some quarters. His first known work was an altarpiece for a church that was halfway between his birthplace and Perugia. He was assisted by his senior comrade Evangelista Pian di Meleto. The artist worked on many other projects with Raphael's father. The young master continued to work as an assistant to Perugino until he moved to Florence.
In Florence, it became obvious to him that his style needed some changes, given the latest innovative styles of Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo. However, the artist who had the greatest influence on him undoubtedly remained the same. His influence can be seen in Raphael's painting The Sistine Madonna. However, although he adopted the styles different masters of that time, he continued to use his own unique style. A work in which one could already see more of the style characteristic of Raphael - “ beautiful gardener"(La Belle Jardinire) or" Madonna and Child with John the Baptist ", as she is also called.
In 1508, Raphael moved to work in the Vatican in Rome. He lived the rest of his life here. His powerful family connections also played a huge role in his invitation to the Vatican. Assisted by his uncle Donato Bramante ( famous architect and painter of the time), Raphael Santi becomes the official artist of the papal court. He, at the invitation of Pope Julius II, arrives to carry out an order for frescoes in the Stanza della Segnatura, the first of Michelangelo, who receives an official invitation a few months later. Raphael's first commissioned job in Rome was his biggest and highest paid commission ever. He was to make frescoes in what was to become the library of Julius II in the Vatican Palace. There have already been similar works in different halls, but they were mostly painted over, as they were ordered by the predecessor and worst enemy Pope Julius II Rodrigo Borgia dad Alexander VI. The works of Raphael in this room were among the the best works artist. They include "Parnassus", " the school of Athens”, “Disputation”, “Virtue and Law”.
In order to write these famous works, he had to paint over some other work. However, Pope Julius II decided that these works were less important. After completing the work in the first room, Pope Julius II was very impressed and decided to entrust the artist, for further work, with painting in another room. The second room in which Rafael worked is called the Stanza d'Eliodoro. In this room, Raphael mainly focuses on God's patronage of human activity. These works clearly show the influence of Michelangelo. However, as it has been throughout his career, the artist manages to use his own style, while still using many of the techniques of other masters. At one time, Michelangelo was quite annoyed by Raphael's unique skill in quickly adopting the techniques of other artists. He even accused the artist of plagiarism.
While Raphael was working on the second hall, Pope Julius II died. However, this did not affect his work in any way. The next pope, Leo X, was also delighted with the skill of Raphael, and supported the continuation of the painting. In addition, the complex web of his friends played a significant role in providing the artist with orders, in such numbers that he probably would never have been without a job. Rafael Santi continued to work on the project, but already played a smaller role in it. For his graduation, he began to send a team of his assistants. His large and complex works for him, Leonardo da Vinci, and Michelangelo began to define the age in which they lived.
At the end of his life, Raphael continued to receive a salary from the Vatican. However, he also received numerous other commissions. His most notable projects outside the Vatican are a series of altarpieces and Roman Madonnas. These works show an evolution in the style of Raphael. In fact, he continued to develop until his death. In addition, he made a series of portraits. Among them are portraits of Pope Julius II and his successor.
His studio studio has been described as one of the largest ever owned by the masters. Undoubtedly, he took over much of the workshop management experience from his father. Unlike the workshop organized by Michelangelo, Raphael's workshop worked more quickly and productively.
The artist managed not only to organize a whole subcontract of craftsmen and their assistants, but also to maintain good working relations with all of them. His workshop has been credited with developing the talent of some of the greatest masters of the time.
When Bramante died, Raphael was appointed chief architect of St. Peter's. In 1515, he also received the post of chief curator of antiquities. Most of his works were subsequently demolished, as they were, to some extent, gloomy. However, some of his works as an architect are still preserved in Rome.
Raphael often drew drawings, sometimes using a silver tip for this. A drawing made in this way is bluish-gray at first. Gradually, after oxidation, it acquires a brownish tint. As can be seen from his many drawings, he was a highly innovative artist. Raphael never made copies of his work, but willingly entered into collaboration with other artists and allowed them to use his sketches to create engravings.
The artist has never been married. For some time he was fascinated by Margarita Luti (Fornarina - a baker), the daughter of a wealthy baker.
According to one version, numerous romps with mistresses led to his premature death at thirty-seven. But still, this version is the subject of serious controversy. According to another version, he fell ill after intercourse with Fornarina. But if we take into account the large amount of work that the artist did, the customs of those times, the general state of health of the population of that century, and the fact that then people generally did not live long, it can be assumed that all this together, in general, could cause Raphael's early death. In any case, after so many hundreds of years since his death, now one can only speculate about its cause, since some biography facts remain unknown, and instead of them, a lot of conjectures, rumors, fantasies and conjectures have appeared. The artist bequeathed his considerable fortune to Margarita Luti, friends and students. After his death, Raphael was buried in the Pantheon, of his own accord.
Without a doubt, Raphael is one of the leading artists of the Renaissance. Together with Titian, Donatello, Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Shakespeare, and small group contemporaries, Raphael became the center of the movement of artists who enriched not only Western, but also world culture with their masterpieces.
"Sistine Madonna". The painting, measuring 196 cm x 265 cm, was made in oil on canvas in 1514. Located in the Old Masters Gallery, Dresden, Germany.
“The Beautiful Gardener” (Madonna and Child with John the Baptist) measuring 80 cm. 122 cm. Made in oil on board around 1507. Located in the Louvre, Paris.
"Madonna with a Goldfinch". The painting, measuring 77 cm x 107 cm, was made in oil on board in 1506. Located in the Uffizi Gallery, Florence, Italy.
"Madonna in the Green" (Belvedere Madonna). The painting, measuring 88 cm x 113 cm, was made in oil on board in 1506. Located in the Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna, Austria.
"Madonna of Conestabile". The painting, measuring 18 cm x 17.5 cm, was made in oil in 1504, transferred from wood to canvas. Located in the State Hermitage, in St. Petersburg.
"Madonna in the Chair". The painting, measuring 71 cm x 71 cm, was made in oil in 1514. Located in Palazzo Pitti, Florence, Italy.
"Madonna Granduk". The painting, measuring 55.9 cm x 84.4 cm, was made in oil on board in 1504. Located in the Palatine Gallery of Palazzo Pitti, Florence.
"Madonna Alba". Painting in the form of a tondo measuring 94.5 cm x 94.5 cm, painted in 1511, transferred in oil to canvas. Located in the National Gallery of Art, Washington DC, USA.
"Madonna Tempi". The painting, measuring 51 cm x 75 cm, was made in oil on board in 1507. Is in art gallery Alte Pinakothek in Munich, Germany.
Foligno Madonna. The painting, measuring 194 cm x 320 cm, was made in 1512, transferred in oil to canvas. Located in the Vatican Pinakothek.
"Three Graces". The painting, measuring 17 cm x 17 cm, was made in oil on board in 1504. Located in the Musée Condé, Chantilly, France.
"Cardinal Bibbiena". Portrait measuring 76 cm x 107 cm, painted in oil on board, around 1516, located in the Palazzo Pitti.
Portrait of Baldassare Castiglione (Count of Novilara, Italian writer) has a size of 67 cm x 82 cm, made in oil on board around 1515, now in the Louvre, Paris.
"The Lady with the Unicorn" The portrait of a woman is 61 cm x 65 cm, painted in oil on board around 1506, and is in the Galleria Borghese, Rome.
Julius II. Portrait of the 216th Pope Giuliano della Rovere has a size of 81 cm x 108 cm, made in oil on board in 1511, located in the London National Gallery, in the UK.
"Fornarina". The portrait, presumably, depicts Raphael's beloved woman. It measures 60 cm x 85 cm. It was painted in oil on board in 1519. Located in Palazzo Barberini, Rome.
"School of Athens". The fresco measuring 770 cm x 500 cm was painted in 1511 in the Stanza della Senyatura, in the Vatican Palace (Apostolic Palace in the Vatican).
"Parnassus". The fresco, 670 cm wide, was painted in 1511 in the Stanza della Senyatura, in the Vatican Palace.
"Dispute". Fresco measuring 770 cm x 500 cm, painted in 1510 in the stanza della Senyatura.
"Virtue and Law". Fresco 660 cm wide painted between 1508 and 1511. in the Stanza della Senyatura.
Raphael Santi - biography and famous paintings of the artist, works - frescoes, murals, architecture
(born 1483 in Urbino, died 1520 in Rome)
Italian painter, architect and graphic artist of the Renaissance. His work, as well as those of his older contemporaries Leonardo And Michelangelo, defined style High Renaissance in central Italy.
Ten most famous paintings by Raphael
Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino, known as Raphael, was one of the three great masters of the art of the High Renaissance, along with Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci. He was the master realistic image emotions that revived his paintings. Raphael is considered an artist of perfect balance, and many of his paintings are cornerstones of Renaissance art. Below are ten of the most famous paintings by this great Italian artist.
10. "Betrothal of the Virgin Mary" (Lo Sposalizio)
Year: 1504
The Betrothal of the Virgin Mary, based on a painting by Raphael's teacher Pietro Perugino with the same subject, depicts the marriage ceremony between Mary and Joseph. Through this picture, in which he surpasses his teacher, one can see the developing style of Raphael. The temple in the background is "drawn in perspective with such obvious care that it is amazing to see the complexities of the problems he has set himself here to solve."
9. Saint George and the Dragon
Year: 1506
This painting, depicting the famous legend of Saint George slaying the dragon, is perhaps the most famous work on this subject. She was one of the most popular paintings in Imperial Hermitage a century and a half before it found its way to the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC, where it remains one of the main attractions.
8. "Donna Velata"
Year: 1515
famous portrait Raphael's "Donna Velata" emphasizes the artist's amazing ability to paint such exquisite perfections that it seems to the viewer that he is looking not at a picture, but at a real person. The clothing of the woman in the painting demonstrates Raphael's attention to detail, which helps bring the painting to life. The plot is Raphael's mistress Margherita Luti. Little is known about her, and it is thanks to this that the picture became famous.
7. "Dispute" ("Dispute about Holy Communion",LaDisputeDelSacramento)»
Year: 1510
5. "Triumph of Galatea"
Year: 1514
IN Greek mythology the beautiful Nereid (sea nymph) Galatea is the daughter of Poseidon. She had the misfortune to marry the envious one-eyed giant Polyphemus, who killed the peasant shepherd Kiss after learning that Galatea had fallen in love with him. Instead of the events of this story, Raphael painted the scene of the apotheosis of Galatea (exaltation into a deity). The Triumph of Galatea is perhaps unparalleled in its ability to evoke the spirit of antiquity and is considered one of the the best pictures the Renaissance.
4. "Beautiful gardener"
Year: 1507
At one time, the source of Raphael's popularity was not his major works, and numerous small paintings which he wrote about Madonna and Christ. They are still very popular even today, and the most famous of them is La belle jardinière ("The Beautiful Gardener"). The painting, which shows the Madonna with a calm face in an informal pose with Christ and the young John the Baptist, has become a typical example of Raphael's work.
3. "Transfiguration of the Lord"
Year: 1520
"Transfiguration of the Lord" - last picture created by Raphael. It consists of two separate parts. The upper half of the picture shows the Transfiguration of Christ with the prophets Elijah and Moses on either side of him. In the lower part, the apostles unsuccessfully try to free a demon-possessed boy. The upper part also depicts the transfigured Christ delivering the possessed boy from evil. The painting can be interpreted as depicting a contrast between god and man; the top is clean and symmetrical, while the bottom is dark and chaotic. For Napoleon, Raphael was simply the greatest of the Italian painters, and The Transfiguration of the Lord his greatest work, Giorgio Vasari calls it Raphael's "most beautiful and most divine" work.
2. "Sistine Madonna"
Year: 1512
The "Sistine Madonna" depicts the Madonna holding the Christ child and St. Sixtus and St. Barbara, located on the sides. Also below Mary are two winged cherubs, which are perhaps the most famous cherubs depicted in any painting. Such popularity arose from the many legends about how Raphael painted them, and the use of their image on everything from paper napkins to umbrellas. Many notable critics consider the "Sistine Madonna" one of the best paintings, it is especially popular in Germany, where it was "called" the greatest among the world's paintings "and given the epithet" divine ".
1. "School of Athens"
Year: 1511
Masterpiece Raphael The "School of Athens" is one of the four main frescoes on the walls of the Stanzas of Raphael in the Apostolic Palace in the Vatican. The four paintings represent Philosophy, Poetry, Theology and Law, where the "School of Athens" represents Philosophy. Critics believe that any great ancient Greek philosopher can be found among the twenty-one written in the picture. However, apart from Plato and Aristotle, who are at the center of the scene, no identity can be confirmed with certainty. The School of Athens is considered "the perfect embodiment of the classical spirit of the High Renaissance" and the most famous painting by Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino.
His father, Giovanni Santi, was a painter at the court of Federico da Montefeltro, Duke of Urbino, and undoubtedly taught Raphael the basic techniques. Giovanni was an educated person and well aware of contemporary artists that time. He preferred Mantegna, Leonardo, Signorelli, Giovanni Bellini and Pietro Perugino, but he was also impressed Flemish artists Jan van Eyck and Rogier van der Weyden. Giovanni died when his son was 11 years old. Raphael's mother allegedly took care of her infant son herself instead of sending him to a nanny. The close relationship with his parents mentioned by contemporaries was the reason for his gentle nature. He may have been gentle, but he was also extremely talented, which was tantamount to his aspirations.
Early career in Umbria
At the beginning of his career, Rafael worked in various places in Umbria and Tuscany. From 1504 to 1508 he worked extensively in Florence, and this time is usually called the Florentine period, although on permanent place he never stayed in that city.
Although, according to Vasari's description, Rafael becomes a student Perugino before his father's death, probably fiction. He undoubtedly worked in one capacity or another in the senior artist's studio in his youth. During this period, Perugino was one of the most revered and influential painters working in Italy. Raphael's familiarity with Perugino's manner, both in style and technique, is evident from the altarpieces he painted for the church in his native Umbria, such as The Crucifixion (c. 1503; National Gallery, London) and The Coronation Virgin Mary "(c. 1503; Pinacoteca, Vatican).
Early paintings contain many of Perugino's characteristic features: the slender physique of the figures, whose grace is often emphasized by ballet poses; meekness of facial expressions; and the formality of a landscape background filled with trees with incredibly thin trunks. That he soon completely overtook Perugino is best seen by comparing Raphael's The Marriage of the Virgin (1504; Brera Pinacoteca, Milan) with Perugino's work on the same subject (Museum of Fine Arts, Caen). Both compositions are similar in many ways, but Raphael is far superior to Perugino in grace and transparency.
Raphael was clearly gifted, as can be seen from the address of Pinturicchio, at that time one of the leading artists in Italy. Rafael provided detailed composition drawings, of which two survive (1502-03, Uffizi Gallery, Florence; Morgan Library and Museum, New York), for fresco in the Piccolomini Library in Siena.
“The Mond Crucifixion” (The Mond Crucifixion) 1502-1503, the style of Perugino is very felt in the picture.
"Saint George and the Dragon" (Saint George and the Dragon), a small work (29 x 21 cm) for the Urbino court.
Florentine period
Despite his success as a painter of altarpieces and small paintings for the court, such as The Dream of a Knight (c. 1504, National Gallery, London) and Saint Michael and the Dragon (ca. 1504, Louvre, Paris). Rafael was clearly aware of the need to leave Umbria in order to expand his experience modern painting. He armed himself letter of recommendation dated October 1504 from Duke Giovanna della Rovere's daughter-in-law to Piero Soderini, ruler of Florence, and probably soon arrived in the city.
Many of his most famous depictions of the Virgin Mary and the Christ child belong to the Florentine period. In these and in the paintings of the Holy Family, he showed his developing mastery of composition and expression. In paintings with the Virgin Mary and the Christ Child, he experimented with new compositional forms and figurative motifs. In The Madonna in the Green (1506, Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna) and The Beautiful Gardener (1507, Louvre, Paris), Raphael uses the pyramidal structure borrowed from Leonardo, while the diagonal body movement in " Bridgewater Madonna (c. 1507, on loan at the National Gallery of Scotland, Edinburgh) was inspired by a sculptural figure by Michelangelo Taddei Tondo (1505-06, Royal Academy of Arts, London). In Raphael's The Holy Family of Canigiani (c. 1507, Alte Pinakothek, Munich), the spiraling movement and complex psychological interplay between the figures (c. 1507, Alte Pinakothek, Munich) reflect his newfound dominance over modern Florentine style, at least in compositions of relative simplicity.
The Madonna of the Pinks, painted between 1506 and 1507, National Gallery, London.
"The Ansidei Madonna" (The Ansidei Madonna) ca. 1505, Raphael begins to move away from the manner of Perugino.
The Madonna of the Meadow approx. 1506, uses Leonardo's pyramidal composition for the "Holy Family" figures.
"Saint Catherine of Alexandria" (Saint Catherine of Alexandria), 1507, the artist borrowed the pose from Leonard's Leda.
During this period, Raphael completed three large altarpieces: the Ansidei Madonna, the Entombment, both commissioned by customers from Perugia, and the Baldacchino Madonna in the Santo Spirito chapel in the Florentine church. One of his final paintings from the Florentine period, the magnificent Saint Catherine, is now in the National Gallery in London. In Florence, Raphael also painted several portraits, the most attested of which are those of Agnolo Doni and Maddalena Doni (1507-08, Palazzo Pitti, Florence).
Raphael in Rome
In 1508, Raphael was summoned to Rome by Pope Julius II. He was to remain in the city working for successive popes until his death. His first commission was the decoration of the Stanza della Senyatura, a room located on the top floor of the Vatican Palace and which was almost certainly used as a library by the pope. In this and other rooms of the papal apartments there were already works by Piero della Francesca, Perugino and Luca Signorelli, but the pope decided that these works should be sacrificed in order to accommodate the frescoes of the young artist.
Stanza della Senyatura contains some of the most famous works artists, including The School of Athens, Parnassus and Dispute. The purpose of the room is reflected in the subjects of the fresco on the ceiling - theology, poetry, philosophy and law, which correspond to the classification of books according to disciplines. The frescoes of Raphael show the genius of finding simple visual means to convey these complex abstract concepts. On the very famous fresco The "School of Athens", a group of philosophers with Plato and Aristotle in the center, are depicted in a stately arched building that probably reflects Bramante's plan for St. Peter's. The brooding figure of the philosopher brought to the forefront of the composition is the first evidence of Raphael's exploration of Michelangelo's recently unveiled Sistine Chapel ceiling. Various preparatory drawings associated with The Disputation, the first fresco painted, shows Raphael's painstaking work in creating a harmonious composition in which the mass of figures is divided into smaller groups connected by gestures and posture. On two large lunettes above the windows are depicted "Parnassus" and "Jurisprudence".
"The position in the coffin" (Deposition of Christ), 1507, the picture is based on Roman sarcophagi.
The frescoes of the Stanza della Segnatura were completed by 1512 and he soon began work on the Stanza d'Eliodoro, which was completed within two years. The theme of this room was divine intervention in the defense of the Church: "The Expulsion of Eliodorus from the Temple", "Mass at Bolsena", "Meetings of Leo the Great and Attila", and "The Liberation of St. Peter". These plots provided Raphael with more opportunities for dynamic composition and gestures.
Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel also had a significant influence. Compositional unity in "The Expulsion of Eliodor" is achieved by a balance of emotional and expressive contrasts. The differences between these two rooms are characterized by the dramatic nature of the two main frescoes, "The Expulsion of Eliodor" and "The Meeting of Leo the Great and Attila", requiring scenes violent activity. Pope Julius did not live to see their completion, and in "The Meeting of Leo the Great and Attila" they used the features of Leo X for his warlike predecessor. These frescoes, and the Liberation of St. Peter, brilliantly demonstrate the dramatic possibilities of unusual light sources, and testify to the origins of detail in Raphael's work, which is distinguished from the grandeur and purity of the Athenian school.
The Mass at Bolsena, 1514, Stanza di Eliodoro.
"The Liberation of St. Peter" (Deliverance of Saint Peter), 1514, Stanza d "Eliodoro (Stanza di Eliodoro).
"The Fire in the Borgo" (The Fire in the Borgo), 1514, Stanza del Incendio di Borgo (Stanza dell "incendio del Borgo), written by artists from Raphael's workshop according to his drawings.
Pope Leo X continued the program decoration thus the Stanza del Incendio di Borgo was painted between 1514 and 1517. The pressure of Raphael's growing number of commissions meant that most the painting work was done by assistants from the workshop according to his sketches. IN best scenes“Fire in Borgo”, after which the room was named, the flame is an insignificant element of the composition, but the destruction is captured in the foreground through the various emotions of the fleeing crowd. During the preparations for the decoration of the largest room of the enfilade, the Sala di Constantino, Raphael was almost dying, so the painting of the frescoes was mainly directed by Giulio Romano, and at least in part, guided by the drawings of the master.
Other plans for the pope included making ten tapestries with scenes from the Acts of the Apostles to hang in Sistine Chapel. Tapestries were woven in Brussels from cardboard seven of which have survived (1515-1516, Victoria and Albert Museum, London). Since the tapestry is sensitive to artistic limitations, Raphael took care that the expressions and gestures of the figures in the compositions were bold and direct. The cardboards themselves were visually something of a disappointment, because they were mostly worked on in Raphael's well-organized and highly productive workshop. It included such young talented artists like: Giulio Romano, Giovanni Francesco Penny, Perino del Vaga and masters of ornamentation such as Giovanni da Udine, to whom Raphael entrusted painting under his direction, and in some cases part of the sketches for major projects, such as the Loggia of Pope Leo X in the Apostolic Palace (1518 -1519), which was decorated with stucco in the antique style, and the vault was painted with ornaments and scenes from the Old Testament.
Throughout the entire period of his stay in the Vatican, Rafael managed to work on other orders. These include the main altarpieces, the earliest of which Madonna di Foligno (c. 1512, Pinacoteca, Vatican) was painted for the Franciscan church of Santa Maria in Araceli. The Venetian elements in painting, such as the shimmering landscape and the superb subtlety of color, may be due to Raphael's acquaintance at this time with Sebastiano del Piombo. Also typical of the Venetian style is seen in the unique handling of pastels and the choice of blue paper for the sketch of the Madonna and Child (British Museum, London). In the most famous of all his altarpieces, the fantastic Sistine Madonna”(1513-1514, Old Masters Gallery, Dresden), painted for the church in Piacenza, the Virgin Mary and the Christ child seem to float out of the picture. The images of the Virgin and the baby seem as weightless as the clouds on which they stand, at the same time they convey strong feeling materiality. In the same period, Raphael painted the altarpiece "Saint Cecilia" for the church in Bologna (c. 1514, National Pinacoteca, Bologna), which introduced the ideal of classical beauty that inspired Emilian artists from Parmigianino to Reni.
Unlike Florence, in Rome, Raphael rarely had time to write small works on church subjects, but he managed to complete two - the Madonna of Alba (c. 1511, National Gallery of Art, Washington) and the Madonna della Sedia (c. 1514, Palazzo Pitti, Florence). In both works, Raphael brilliantly uses their round shape (tondo). In the Washington painting, the round shape prompted significant diagonal movements of the Virgin and Child, while in the more late painting it strongly closes the figures, adding a sense of tender intimacy.
"The Triumph of Galatea" (Galatea), 1512, the only and main mythological work of Raphael for the Villa Chigi.
Rafael worked hard for the wealthy Sienese banker Agostino Chigi, both on secular orders and on church ones. The earliest of these is a mythological fresco in the antique style "The Triumph of Galatea", created for his villa on the banks of the Tiber, now known as "Farnesina". In 1513-1514. Raphael painted a fresco with sibyls and prophets on the entrance arch of the Chigi chapel in Santa Maria della Pace. The twisting position of the sibyls is written noticeably in the style of Michelangelo, however, images with an ideal female beauty are perhaps most tangible in Raphael's fine red pencil sketches (British Museum, London). A year or two later, he also provided drawings for the sculptures, architecture, and mosaics for the sumptuous Chigi Chapel in Santa Maria del Popolo. In 1518 Raphael's workshop decorated the loggias at Villa Chigi with scenes from the life of Cupid and Psyche. Giulio Romano and Giovanni Francesco Penny, who were responsible for the figurative part of the plan, interpreted the style of Raphael so accurately that it is difficult to establish whether it was they or their master who drew the sketches with images for the loggia.
The loggias of Raphael are magnificent in their architecture and concept. The architecture, fresco decoration and stucco work of the reliefs caused a sensation, recreating the decorative splendor of antiquity so admired during the Renaissance.
portraits
IN portrait painting the development of Raphael follows the same plan as in other genres. His early portraits are reminiscent of Perugino, while in Florence the main influence was Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa, which can be seen in the portraits of Agnolo and Maddalena Doni. Raphael adapted the majestic design of Leonardo da Vinci already in 1514 in the portrait of Baldassare Castiglione (1514-1515, Louvre, Paris), which, like most of his best portraits was his close friend. Castiglione is depicted with great psychological subtlety, a gentle, academic face ideally suited to a man who, in his treatise On the Courtier, defined the qualities of an ideal gentleman. Raphael's refined sense of humor and courtesy actually brought back exactly the qualities that Castiglione wanted to find in his ideal courtier. Other portraits from this period include that of his yearning patron Julius II (c. 1512, National Gallery, London), Tommaso Ingirami (Palazzo Pitti, Florence); and Pope Leo X with two cardinals (1518, Uffizi Gallery, Florence).
Portrait of Elisabetta Gonzaga (Portrait of Elisabetta Gonzaga), approx. 1504.
Portrait of Pope Julius II (Portrait of Pope Julius II), approx. 1512.
Portrait of Bindo Altoviti, approx. 1514.
Portrait of Baldassare Castiglione (Portrait of Balthasar Castiglione), approx. 1515.
In the portrait of Julius II, the pope is depicted sitting in an armchair diagonally to the plane of the picture, and this spatial separation from the viewer adds to the feeling of self-absorption of the sitter. The material feeling of the contrasting texture of velvet and silk in the papa's suit adds even more dignity. great portrait Leo X with his nephews. Raphael also painted portraits of a circle of friends: in addition to this portrait of Baldassare Castiglione, portraits of Andrea Navagero and Agostino Beatiano (c. 1516, Galleria Doria Pamphilj, Rome), and an alleged self-portrait with a friend, often called "Raphael and his teacher in fencing” (1518, Louvre, Paris). These portraits attracted the active attention of the viewer, either because of the model's gaze, as in Castiglione, or more immediacy, as in the case of the pointing outstretched hand of the master swordsman. The model for Doni Valletta (c. 1516, Palazzo Pitti, Florence), one of the few female portraits of the Romanesque period, is unknown, but her hand gesture to the heart was appropriate for a marital portrait. "Fornarina" (c. 1518, National Gallery of Ancient Art, Rome) - a portrait of the so-called beloved of Raphael.
In his last altarpiece, The Transfiguration (1518-1520, Pinacoteca, Vatican), originally planned for the Cathedral of Narbonne and completed by Giulio Romano, Raphael included two contrasting scenes - the transfiguration of Christ in bright light in the upper part, and below in the darkness the apostles who cannot cure the possessed boy. The expressive faces and overall dark tone are defined by Leonardo's unfinished Adoration of the Magi (1481, Uffizi Gallery, Florence).
The Miraculous Draft of Fishes, 1515, one of seven surviving tapestry tapestries by Raphael.
The Way of the Cross (Il Spasimo) of 1517 brought a new degree of expressiveness to his art.
Other works and achievements
Raphael was quick to see the value of printmaking in the dissemination of his work, and through his collaboration with the Bolognese master printmaker Marcantonio Raimondi, his reputation and influence spread throughout Europe. It seems that Raphael gave him drawings, mainly related to his painted projects, but also some of Raimondi's more complex plates - such as the Massacre of the Innocents and the Miracle in Phrygia - are probably made from drawings specially designed for this purpose. .
Sketch of soldiers for the painting "The Resurrection of Jesus Christ", approx. 1500 year.
Sketch in red pencil of the "Three Graces" for Villa Farnesina.
Rafael Santi (Italian: Raffaello Santi, Raffaello Sanzio, Rafael, Raffael da Urbino, Rafaelo; March 26 or 28, or April 6, 1483, Urbino - April 6, 1520, Rome) was a great Italian painter, graphic artist and architect, a representative of the Umbrian school.
Raphael lost his parents early. Mother, Margie Charla, died in 1491, and father, Giovanni Santi, died in 1494.
His father was an artist and poet at the court of the Duke of Urbinsky, and Rafael received his first experience as an artist in his father's workshop. The earliest work is the Madonna and Child fresco, which is still in the house-museum.
Among the first works are "The banner with the image of the Holy Trinity" (circa 1499-1500) and the altarpiece "Coronation of St. Nicholas of Tolentino" (1500-1501) for the church of Sant'Agostino in Citta di Castello.
In 1501, Raphael came to the workshop of Pietro Perugino in Perugia, so the early works were made in the style of Perugino.
At this time, he often leaves Perugia for home in Urbino, in Citta di Castello, together with Pinturicchio visits Siena, performs a number of works on orders from Citta di Castello and Perugia.
In 1502, the first Raphael Madonna appears - “Madonna Solly”, Madonna Raphael will write all his life.
The first non-religious paintings are The Knight's Dream and The Three Graces (both around 1504).
Gradually, Raphael develops his own style and creates the first masterpieces - "The Betrothal of the Virgin Mary to Joseph" (1504), "The Coronation of Mary" (about 1504) for the Oddi altar.
In addition to large altar paintings, he paints small paintings: Madonna Conestabile (1502-1504), Saint George Slaying the Dragon (circa 1504-1505) and portraits - Portrait of Pietro Bembo (1504-1506).
In 1504, in Urbino, he met Baldassar Castiglione.
At the end of 1504 he moved to Florence. Here he met Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Bartolomeo della Porta and many other Florentine masters. Carefully studies the painting technique of Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo. A drawing by Raphael from the lost painting by Leonardo da Vinci "Leda and the Swan" and a drawing from "St. Matthew" Michelangelo. "... the techniques that he saw in the works of Leonardo and Michelangelo made him work even harder in order to derive unprecedented benefits from them for his art and his manner."
The first order in Florence comes from Agnolo Doni for portraits of him and his wife, the latter was written by Raphael under the clear impression of the Mona Lisa. It was for Agnolo Doni that Michelangelo Buonarroti created the Madonna Doni tondo at that time.
Raphael paints the altarpieces "Madonna Enthroned with John the Baptist and Nicholas of Bari" (circa 1505), "The Entombment" (1507) and portraits - "Lady with a Unicorn" (circa 1506-1507).
In 1507 he met Bramante.
The popularity of Raphael is constantly growing, he receives many orders for images of saints - “The Holy Family with St. Elizabeth and John the Baptist" (circa 1506-1507). Holy Family (Madonna with beardless Joseph)" (1505-1507), "St. Catherine of Alexandria" (circa 1507-1508).
In Florence, Raphael created about 20 Madonnas. Although the plots are standard: the Madonna either holds the Child in her arms, or he plays next to John the Baptist, all Madonnas are individual and are distinguished by a special maternal charm (apparently, early death mother left a deep mark on the soul of Raphael).
The growing fame of Raphael leads to an increase in orders for Madonnas, he creates the Granduk Madonna (1505), the Madonna with Carnations (circa 1506), the Canopied Madonna (1506-1508). The best works of this period include "Madonna Terranuova" (1504-1505), "Madonna with a Goldfinch" (1506), "Madonna and Child with John the Baptist ("Beautiful Gardener")" (1507-1508).
In the second half of 1508, Raphael moved to Rome (where he would spend the rest of his life) and, with the assistance of Bramante, became the official artist of the papal court. He was commissioned to fresco the Stanza della Senyatura. For this stanza, Raphael paints frescoes reflecting four types of human intellectual activity: theology, jurisprudence, poetry and philosophy - "Disputation" (1508-1509), "Wisdom, Moderation and Strength" (1511), and the most outstanding "Parnassus" (1509 -1510) and the "School of Athens" (1510-1511).
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Rafael Santi one of the greatest painters era of the High Renaissance. During the 37 years of his life he wrote over 200 paintings. Especially famous is his beautiful series of Madonnas. He was the first who gave the Madonnas not a detached, but a tender self-immersed expression.
Rafael subtly felt women, at the age of 8 he lost his mother early. He later saw her image on a fresco of his father, the court painter, Giovanni Santi. All his life he was in search of lost maternal warmth. Raphael's works are imbued with maternal kindness, grace, human intimacy of biblical characters.
His paintings were so beautiful that their owners could not tear themselves away from contemplation. For example, the Duke of Lorraine Ferdinand III, after he received the painting "Madonna Granduk" never parted with it. Wherever he went, he took her with him, he placed her in his bedroom. Seeing her, the duke experienced a feeling of relaxation, peace, grace. How was the talent of this artist formed?
home education
Raphael was never given to nannies, maids. The mother breastfed him, the parents raised the child themselves, although this was not accepted according to the traditions of that time. Raphael's father, Giovanni Santi, was not only a court painter and poet, but also the most educated man of his time. He became something of a Minister of Education at the court of the Duke of Urbino.
Teaching his son the skill of an artist, Giovanni soon realized that the boy was developing rapidly, grasping everything. When Giovanni gave him all his skills and realized that he could no longer teach anything, he took his son to Perugia to study with the most famous Italian artist of that time - Pietro Perugino.
Friends and patrons
The boy's father died early, when Rafael was only 11 years old. Having lost both parents, Raphael continued to come to Urbino frequently. He liked the atmosphere of the Urbinsky Court, where humanist philosophers, poets and artists gathered under the patronage of the enlightened Duchess Elisabeth Gonzaga. A center of Renaissance culture was formed there, where Raphael was everyone's favorite. Researchers ku This atmosphere predetermined the fate of Raphael. Perhaps then Raphael became a Gnostic, which was later reflected in the symbolism of his paintings.
The artist is a special way of thinking
It was customary for artists of that time to master various creative professions - architect, sculptor, painter and poet. It was believed that the artist is not only the ability to draw, it is a special style of thinking. To become famous artist, you had to be smart. And Rafael did it.
The magic of his paintings lies in the complex mathematical construction of space, the modeling of the situation and the direction of attention, he intrigues and immerses you in the plot, accompanying you with grace, grace, charm and melodious lines. There is a sacred state in his works, providing access to the sublime.
Thirst for new knowledge
Rafael at the age of 17 became a recognized artist, participated in the painting of various churches and had many private orders. In 1505, he felt he had exhausted his learning opportunities with Perugino. Raphael was constantly tuned in to learning. He had an incredible thirst for new meanings. When rumors reached him that there was a powerful cohort of artists in Florence, he dropped everything and went there to study.
Friendship with Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo
In Florence he was a stranger. Artists sometimes have complex, quarrelsome characters and meet new people with great care, but Rafael was a man so friendly, intelligent and courteous that he easily joined their company and became a regular at the meetings of the artists of the Society of the Pot.
In Florence he received commissions for portraits from local nobility, which he already wrote, using the laws discovered by Leonardo da Vinci in building compositional perspective and color solutions. Raphael in his work embraced everything that was before him and came to perfection. It was in Florence that he created his series of 42 Madonnas, where he glorified the states of motherhood and a defenseless tender being.
It is important that despite the fact that Rafael was already a recognized professional, he was ready to learn at any time. From Michelangelo, he learns plasticity and dramatic turns, complex angles, but in his character he did not have a rebellious spirit, obstinacy like Michelangelo.
The wise decision to be yourself
Raphael was praised for the wisdom to understand that this was not his manner. He loved music, he liked to dress beautifully, he loved women. The artist got his bearings and began to depict anatomical reliefs with the help of drapery, Raphael realized that he was not successful battle scenes and portraits of people with hard domineering character. It takes others, harmony and serenity. Ovals, rhythm, inner music are inherent in Raphael's paintings.
Painting "Lady with a Unicorn"
Gratitude to teachers
From 1508, at the invitation of Pope Julius II, Raphael moved to Rome to paint the halls. Vatican Palace. In 1511, Raphael painted a fresco "". His heart was always full of gratitude to his great teachers. In the central positions, he portrayed Leonardo and Mekelangelo, paying tribute to them.
It is noteworthy that when Raphael showed a sketch of this work to Pope Julius, he liked it so much that, being a sharp and resolute person, he ordered the frescoes of another artist to be knocked down from the already painted wall and Raphael's painting to be placed there.
Romantic, mysterious and tragic love story of the great artist
Raphael has always been a favorite of women, many noble persons showed him signs of attention, many families dreamed of getting a famous, wealthy artist as a son-in-law. He avoided marriage for a long time, it was said that Rafael dreamed of becoming a cardinal.
However, there was a woman in his life whom he considered his muse, this is Margarita Luti, the daughter of a baker. She posed for a portrait of Fornarin and herself famous painting Raphael - "".
Agostino Chigi, a banker and friend of Raphael from Rome, invited him to paint the walls of his Farnesino palace. According to one legend, Raphael, suffering from love and jealousy, could not even work on frescoes, Chigi persuaded his lady to be with him all the time, wherever he was, so Raphael finished the work.
According to one of the legends, Rafael bought Margarita Luti from her father for 3,000 gold during the time she was engaged. She cheated on Raphael with Agostino Chigi, the artist's students, and, subsequently, became the most famous courtesan of Rome. According to another version, they had a strong mutual feeling, she was his lover and model for 12 years, until his death. Raphael died in her bed. In Farnarin's painting, an X-ray revealed a ruby ring, a symbol of betrothal. Soon after the death of her lover, Farnarina died in a monastery, where she was recorded as the widow of Raphael.
Death of Raphael
When Raphael was ill, dad sent six times to inquire about his health. He died on April 6, 1520 at the age of 37, the same day he was born. The artist did not live long enough to see the days when the pope would make him a cardinal.
