RaPhael was a son of art: the father, Giovanni Santi di
Pietro was a good painter at the Court of Urbino,
governed by the famous Federico da Montefeltro (who died
the year before the birth of Raphael in 1482).
At eleven years old, he entered Perugino's workshop,
receiving his education in an environment that was very
favourable to artistic activities, enriched by the
experience of Piero della Francesca, Francesco Laurana
and the young Bramante.
Raphael's role in the workshop, into which he was
accepted through the help of his father; a great admirer
of the maestro, grew quickly.
He became called "magister" during his commission for the altar piece of
the blessed Nicola daTolentino, for the church of Sant'Agostino
at Citta di Castello.
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This commission marked the debut
of the artist and demands came thick and fast. In this
period, Raphael showed himself to be close to Perugino in
his style, but would gradually stand out on his own. In
1502, he was called on by Pinturicchio to produce designs
for the frescoes for the Piccolomini bookshop of the
Cathedral of Siena.
In 1504, he painted the Wedding of the Virgin at Brera and
in the autumn of that year, he moved, a twenty-one-year-old,
to Florence; a city that was then going through a good
cultural period because of the double presence of Leonardo
and Michelangelo; presenting himself to Pier Soderini. The
painter, however, did not lose contact with Umbrian and
Urbinan clients. In theTuscan city, Raphael made contact
with all the great artists of the period, who he spent cold
winter evenings with; the famous "vernate" where art was
discussed apart from warming themselves with the warmth of
the fire and wine. In 1508, he moved to Rome, into the
service of Pope Julius 11, introduced by his friend Donato
Bramante. |
In the same year he began
the frescoes of the Stanza della Segnatura in the papal
apartment, then going on to other rooms in the Pontiff's
apartment. In 1513, Leo X placed at the side of Bramante in
the Factory of St. Peter. The next year, he took over the
prestigious commission on the death of the architect. In
1515, the same Pontiff appointed him Curator of Roman
Antiquities. At the same time, he entertained artists and
scholars. In 1519 he worked on the scenery for a play by
Ariosto. The famous letter on the Antiquities of Rome is,
perhaps, from the same year.
He died at thirty-seven, after a short illness, on Good
Friday (he was also born on a Good Friday), 6th April, 1520.
Pico della Mirandola, announcing the death of Raphael, said
that the heavens had gone dark and the palaces rent apart,
thus creating a parallel with the death of Christ. There is
a legend that the artist died throll(lh amorous excesses,
but it was Raphael himself who spread word of his
sentimental adventures, fostering the myth of hislJt!IIHld (jlf'dt
lover. |
