Raphael Santi was born on April 6, 1483 in the family of the court poet and painter of the Dukes of Urbino, Giovanni Santi.

Giovanni Santi was Raphael's first teacher and early childhood was able to instill in the boy a taste for beauty, introduce him to the world contemporary art. Thanks to his father's connections, Rafael became close to Federigo da Montefeltro's son, Guidobaldo. Throughout his life he enjoyed the friendly support and patronage of his wife, Elizabeth Gonzago.

In 1491, Raphael lost his mother, and three years later, in 1494, his father died. The eleven-year-old boy was left an orphan in the care of his uncle Fra Bartolomeo, who was not so much concerned about the fate of his nephew as he was endlessly suing Rafael's stepmother Bernardina. Judging by Raphael’s correspondence, he found warmth and family closeness in his communication with his other uncle, his mother’s brother, Simon Ciarla.

After the death of his father, for about five years the boy studied in the workshop of the court painter of the Dukes of Urbino, Timoteo Viti.

In 1500, Raphael arrived in Perugia, where he entered the workshop of Perugino, in those years the leading representative of the Umbrian school. The early period of Raphael’s work is rightly called “Perugino” and the young artist’s strong dependence on his teacher is noted.

Between 1503 and 1504, at the request of the Albizzini family, Raphael painted the altarpiece “The Betrothal of Mary” for the Church of San Francesco in the small town of Città di Castello - a work that worthy of completion early period his creativity.

In 1503, Perugino moved with his workshop to Florence, where Raphael came after him in the fall of 1504.

During his four years (not counting trips to Perugia and Urbino) of his stay in Florence, Raphael created famous paintings of Madonnas.

In 1507 he returned briefly to Urbino. And in 1508, Raphael was invited by Pope Julius II to Rome to paint the state apartments in the old Vatican Palace.

Raphael's first building dates back to 1514. He first created the small church of Sant'Eligio degli Orefici (begun in 1509). In plan it represents a Greek cross with very short branches and is covered with a light spherical dome with a drum on sails.

After Bramante's death in 1514, Leo X appointed Raphael as chief architect for the construction of the new St. Peter's Cathedral, and as Commissioner of Antiquities, he was responsible for the protection and census of the monuments of ancient Rome.

From 1506 to 1514, the construction of St. Peter's Cathedral was in the hands of Bramante, who, however, only managed to partially remove the central pillars and outer arches of the temple.

A direct follower of Bramante, Raphael returned to the traditional form of plan for church buildings in the form of a Latin cross. He conceives a domed building with three identical apses, the fourth side of which is developed into a highly elongated three-nave basilica. But Raphael also did not have time to complete his plan.

Raphael developed his own school in Rome, where the skills of artists were improved. Raphael lived in Rome like a prince, surrounded by students and admirers. His workshop is a complex and very active organization in which experienced assistants of various specializations developed, executed, and brought to life the teacher’s plans. In the letters of Bembo and Bibbiena, Raphael appears as an active organizer, an artist in tireless search, a person with an inexhaustible curiosity for knowledge.

ABOUT privacy Little is known about Raphael, much more legends. Even during his lifetime, an aura of fame and universal worship arose around the artist’s personality. Already Vasari, whose biography laid the foundation for many subsequent legends about Raphael, saw in him and in his way of life the ideal of an artist-court, a gifted person living in luxury and wealth, who knows how to behave in society, maintain a learned conversation, has a pleasant appearance and refined manners, surrounded by love and universal veneration.

Fate favored Raphael: in Rome he found strong and powerful patrons. Julius II was an admirer of his talent. After the death of Julius II, Raphael carried out the orders of Leo X, who became pope in 1513. Raphael died unexpectedly, after a short illness, on his birthday - April 6, 1520. His death was perceived by many as the death of art - so great was the artist’s fame and his veneration was universal. According to his will, Raphael was buried in the Pantheon, among the great people of Italy.

Raphael (actually Raphael Santi), one of the greatest painters of modern times, was born on April 6, 1483 in Urbino. He received his first artistic education from his father, the painter Giovanni Santi, and after his death in 1494 he continued with the Umbrian painter P. Perugino. The first paintings of Raphael date back to the time of his stay with Perugino. They all wear general character tender and deep religious dreaminess of the Umbrian school. But already in “The Betrothal of the Virgin Mary” (Sposalizio), written at the end of this period, the features of Raphael’s beginning to take shape shine through this character.

Raphael. Betrothal of the Virgin Mary. 1504

Florentine period of Raphael's work

With the arrival of Raphael from quiet Umbria to Florence, in 1504, the second period of his artistic activity begins. The works of Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci and Fra Bartolomeo, Florence itself - the center of everything elegant and beautiful - all this had a strong influence on the artistic development of Raphael. Surprising at the strength of Michelangelo, he, however, sided with Leonardo da Vinci and Fra Bartolomeo and devoted himself zealously to the study of old Florentines. The subtle feeling and faithful transmission of emotional movements, the charm of figures and play of tones that distinguish the paintings of Leonardo da Vinci, the reverent expression and skillful arrangement of groups, the knowledge and depth of impression that is inherent in Fra Bartolomeo, were reflected in the works of Raphael of this period, but did not deprive them of clear already emerging individuality. Often submitting to other people's influences, Raphael always took only what was related and useful to him, being able to maintain a sense of proportion.

Raphael. Three Graces. 1504-1505

The Florentine period of Raphael’s work begins with the allegorical paintings “The Three Graces” and “The Knight’s Dream”.

Raphael. Allegory (A Knight's Dream). OK. 1504

The famous panels on the theme of the battles of St. Michael and St. George with the dragon, the paintings “Christ Blessing” and “St. Catherine of Alexandria” also date back to this time.

Raphael. Saint Catherine of Alexandria. 1508

Madonnas by Raphael

But in general, the time Raphael spent in Florence is the era of Madonnas par excellence: “Madonna of the Goldfinch”, “Madonna of the House of Tempi”, “Madonna of the House of Colonna”, “Madonna del Baldachino”, “Madonna of Granduca”, “Madonna of Canigiani”, “ Madonna Terranuova”, “Madonna in the Green”, the so-called “Beautiful Gardener” and the composition “The Entombment of Christ”, excellent in drama, are Raphael’s main works for this period.

Raphael. Madonna of the Greens, 1506

Here in Florence, Raphael takes up portraits and paints portraits of Agnolo and Maddalena Doni.

Raphael. Portrait of Agnolo Doni. 1506

The Roman period of Raphael's work

Harmoniously merging all influences together and translating them, Raphael gradually moves forward and reaches his highest perfection in the third period of his activity while in Rome. At the direction of Bramante, in 1508 Raphael Santi was summoned to Rome by Pope Julius II to decorate some Vatican halls with frescoes. The grandiose tasks that presented themselves to Raphael inspired him with a consciousness of his own strength; the proximity of Michelangelo, who began painting at the same time Sistine Chapel, aroused noble competition in him, and the world of classical antiquity, revealed in Rome more than anywhere else, gave his activity a sublime direction and gave him plastic completeness and clarity for the expression of artistic ideas.

Painting by Raphael in Stanza della Segnatura

Three chambers (stanza) and one large hall of the Vatican are covered on the vaults and walls with frescoes by Raphael, and therefore are called “Raphael’s Stanzas”. In the first rest (Stanza della Segnatura) Raphael depicted the spiritual life of people in its highest directions. Theology, philosophy, jurisprudence and poetry float in the form of allegorical figures on the ceiling and serve as titles for four large compositions on the walls. Under the figure of Theology on the wall is the so-called “La Disputa” - The Dispute about St. Eucharist - and opposite it is the so-called “School of Athens”. The first composition brings together representatives of Christian wisdom into groups, the second - pagan, and thus characteristically reflected the Italian Renaissance. In "The Dispute" the action takes place simultaneously on earth and in heaven. In heaven sits Christ among the Mother of God and John the Baptist, somewhat lower than him are the apostles, prophets and martyrs; above Christ is God the Father with power, surrounded by angels, below Christ is the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove. On the ground in the center of the picture is an altar prepared for the offering of a bloodless sacrifice, and around it are church fathers, religious teachers and ordinary believers in several lively groups. Everything is calm in the sky; here on earth everything is full of excitement and struggle. The four Gospels, carried by angels, serve as mediators between earth and heaven.

Raphael. Dispute about the Eucharist (Dispute). 1510-1511

The stage of the “School of Athens” is an antique portico decorated with statues. In the middle are two great thinkers: the idealist Plato, who raises his hand and thought to the sky, and the realist Aristotle, who looks at the earth. They are surrounded by attentive listeners. Under the figure of Jurisprudence on the wall cut through the window, three figures are placed at the top, above the window, personifying prudence, strength and moderation, and on the sides of the window - on the left Emperor Justinian, receiving pandects from the kneeling Tribonian, on the right - Pope Gregory VII, presenting decretals to a lawyer .

Raphael. School of Athens, 1509

Opposite this fresco, under the figure of poetry, is “Parnassus,” on which great ancient and modern poets are gathered.

Painting by Raphael in Stanza di Eliodoro

In the second chamber (di Eliodoro), on the walls, with strong dramatic inspiration, are depicted “The Expulsion of Heliodorus from the Temple,” “The Miracle at Bolsena,” “The Release of the Apostle Peter from Prison,” and “Attila, stopped in his attack on Rome by the admonitions of Pope Leo I and the terrible appearance of the apostles Peter and Paul."

Raphael. Expulsion of Heliodorus from the Temple, 1511-1512

These works represent divine intercession, protecting the church from enemies external and internal. When painting this room, Raphael for the first time resorted to the help of his favorite student Giulio Romano.

Raphael. Meeting of Pope Leo I and Attila, 1514

Painting by Raphael in the Stanza del Incendio

The third chamber (dell "Incendio) is decorated with four wall frescoes depicting the fire in Borgo, stopped by the word of the pope, the victory over the Saracens at Ostia, the oath of Leo III and the coronation of Charlemagne. Only the first of them undoubtedly belongs entirely to Raphael, the rest were painted by his students according to him cardboards, which sometimes Raphael did not have time to give the final finishing.

Painting by Raphael in the Hall of Constantine

In the adjacent Hall of Constantine, finally, next to other scenes from the life of Constantine the Great, the champion of the church and the founder of its secular power, Raphael created a powerful image of the battle of Constantine - one of the majestic battle paintings of the new art, although it was executed for the most part Giulio Romano.

Raphael. Battle of Constantine the Great on the Milvian Bridge, 1520-1524

Painting by Raphael in the Vatican Loggias

Not having finished the dance yet, Raphael had to start decorating Vatican loggias – open galleries, surrounding the courtyard of St. Damasus on three sides. For the loggias, Raphael made 52 sketches of scenes from the Old and New Testaments, known as the “Raphael Bible”. If you compare this Bible with biblical paintings Michelangelo in the Sistine Chapel, then the whole contrast clearly appears between the gloomy tragedian and lyricist Michelangelo and the calm epic Raphael, who gives preference to the gratifying, the idyll, and grace.

Tapestries for the Sistine Chapel

Raphael's third extensive work in Rome was cardboards with scenes from the Acts of the Apostles for 10 tapestries in the Sistine Chapel, commissioned by Pope Leo X. In them, Raphael is one of the greatest masters of historical painting. At the same time, Raphael painted “The Triumph of Galatea” in the Villa Farnesine and made sketches from the history of Psyche for the gallery of the same villa, managing to draw up drawings for dishes and boxes of incense at the request of the pope.

Life of Raphael in Rome

In 1514, Leo X appointed Raphael as chief observer of the construction of St. Peter's Cathedral, and in 1515 as guardian of ancient monuments extracted from excavations in Rome. And Raphael still found time to execute a number of excellent portraits and large paintings, During this Roman period he created among other things; portraits of Julius II and Leo X; Madonnas: “With the Veil”, “della Sedia”, “di Foligno”, “from the House of Alba” and the most perfect of the Madonnas – “Sistine”; “Saint Cecilia”, “Carrying the Cross” (Lo Spasimo di Sicilia) and “Transfiguration”, unfinished after the artist’s death. But even now, among the many works, at the height of his fame, Raphael just as diligently prepared for each painting, carefully considering numerous sketches. And with all this, Raphael has been involved in architecture a lot in recent years: according to his plans, several churches, palaces, and villas were built, but for the Cathedral of St. He managed to do little of Peter. In addition, he made drawings for sculptors, and he himself was no stranger to sculpture: Raphael owns a marble sculpture of a child on a dolphin in the St. Petersburg Hermitage. Finally, Raphael was carried away by the thought of restoring ancient Rome.

Raphael. Sistine Madonna, 1513-1514

Overwhelmed with work since 1515, Raphael did not have a moment of peace. He did not need money, not having time to spend his earnings. Leo X made him his chamberlain and knight of the golden spur. Raphael was connected with many of the best representatives of Roman society by bonds of friendship. When he left the house, he was surrounded by a crowd of about 50 of his students, who hung on every word of their beloved teacher. Thanks to the influence of Raphael’s peaceful character, free from envy and ill will, this crowd formed a friendly family without envy and quarrels.

Death of Raphael

On April 6, 1520, Raphael died at the age of 37 from a fever that he contracted during excavations; it was fatal to his body, exhausted by extraordinary stress. Raphael was not married, but was engaged to the niece of Cardinal Bibbiena. According to Vasari, until his death Raphael was passionately attached to his beloved Fornarina, the daughter of a baker, and her features seem to have formed the basis of the face of the Sistine Madonna. The rumor that the cause of Raphael's early death was an immoral life appeared later and is not based on anything . Contemporaries speak with deep respect of Raphael's moral character. Raphael's body was buried in the Pantheon. In 1838, due to doubts, the tomb was opened, and the remains of Raphael were found completely intact.

Features of Raphael's creativity

What is striking about Raphael Santi’s work is, first of all, the artist’s inexhaustible creative imagination, the likes of which we do not see in such perfection in anyone else. The index of individual paintings and drawings by Raphael covers 1225 numbers; in all this mass of his works one cannot find anything superfluous, everything breathes simplicity and clarity, and here, as in a mirror, the whole world is reflected in its diversity. Even his Madonnas are extremely different: from one artistic idea- images of a young mother with a child - Raphael managed to extract so many perfect images in which she can manifest herself. Another distinctive feature of Raphael’s work is the combination of all spiritual gifts in wonderful harmony. Raphael has nothing dominant, everything is combined in extraordinary balance, in perfect beauty. The depth and strength of the design, the effortless symmetry and completeness of the compositions, the remarkable distribution of light and shadow, the truthfulness of life and character, the beauty of color, the understanding of the naked body and drapery - everything is harmoniously combined in his work. This multifaceted and harmonious idealism of the artist of the Renaissance, having absorbed almost all movements, did not submit to them in its creative power, but created its own original, clothed it in perfect forms, merging the Christian piety of the Middle Ages and the breadth of vision of the new man with the realism and plasticity of Greco -Roman world. Of the large crowd of his disciples, few rose above mere imitation. Giulio Romano, who took a significant part in Raphael's works and graduated from the Transfiguration, was Raphael's best student.

Raphael. Transfiguration, 1518-1520

The life and work of Raphael Santi is described in the book by Giorgio Vasari “Biographies of the Most famous painters, sculptors and architects" (“Vite de" più eccellenti architetti, pittori e scultori”), 1568.

Raphael (actually Raffaello Santi or Sanzio, Raffaello Santi, Sanzio) (March 26 or 28, 1483, Urbino - April 6, 1520, Rome), Italian painter and architect.

Raphael, son of the painter Giovanni Santi, early years spent in Urbino. In 1500-1504, Raphael, according to Vasari, studied with the artist Perugino in Perugia.

From 1504, Raphael worked in Florence, where he became acquainted with the works of Leonardo da Vinci and Fra Bartolommeo, and studied anatomy and scientific perspective.
The move to Florence played a huge role in creative development Raphael. Of primary importance for the artist was familiarity with the method of the great Leonardo da Vinci.
Following Leonardo, Raphael begins to work a lot from life, studying anatomy, mechanics of movements, complex poses and angles, looking for compact, rhythmically balanced compositional formulas.
The numerous images of Madonnas he created in Florence brought the young artist all-Italian fame.
Raphael received an invitation from Pope Julius II to Rome, where he was able to become more familiar with ancient monuments and took part in archaeological excavations. Having moved to Rome, the 26-year-old master received the position of “artist of the Apostolic See” and the assignment to paint the state rooms of the Vatican Palace, from 1514 he directed the construction of St. Peter’s Cathedral, worked in the field of church and palace architecture, in 1515 he was appointed Commissioner of Antiquities, responsible for the study and protection of ancient monuments, archaeological excavations. Fulfilling the pope's order, Raphael created murals in the halls of the Vatican, glorifying the ideals of freedom and earthly happiness of man, the limitlessness of his physical and spiritual capabilities.

The painting “Madonna Conestabile” by Rafael Santi was created by the artist at the age of twenty.

In this painting, the young artist Raphael created his first remarkable embodiment of the image of the Madonna, which occupied an extremely important place in his art. The image of a young beautiful mother, generally so popular in Renaissance art, is especially close to Raphael, whose talent had a lot of softness and lyricism.

Unlike the masters of the 15th century, new qualities emerged in the paintings of the young artist Raphael Santi, when a harmonious compositional structure does not constrain the images, but, on the contrary, is perceived as a necessary condition for the feeling of naturalness and freedom that they generate.

Holy family 1507-1508. Alte Pinakothek, Munich.

Painting by artist Raphael Santi “The Holy Family” by Canigiani.

The customer of the work is Domenico Canigianini from Florence. In the painting “The Holy Family”, the great Renaissance painter Raphael Santi depicted it in the classical key of biblical history - holy family- The Virgin Mary, Joseph, the baby Jesus Christ along with Saint Elizabeth and the baby John the Baptist.

However, only in Rome did Raphael overcome the dryness and some stiffness of his early portraits. It was in Rome that Raphael's brilliant talent as a portrait painter reached maturity.

In Raphael's "Madonnas" of the Roman period, his idyllic mood early works is replaced by the recreation of deeper human, maternal feelings, as Mary, full of dignity and spiritual purity, appears as the intercessor of humanity in Raphael’s most famous work - “The Sistine Madonna”.

The painting “The Sistine Madonna” by Raphael Santi was originally created by the great painter as an altar image for the church of San Sisto (St. Sixtus) in Piacenza.

In the painting, the artist depicts the Virgin Mary with the Christ Child, Pope Sixtus II and Saint Barbara. The painting “The Sistine Madonna” is one of the most famous works of world art.

How was the image of the Madonna created? Was there for him real prototype? In this regard, a number of ancient legends are associated with the Dresden painting. Researchers find similarities in the Madonna's facial features with the model of one of Raphael's female portraits - the so-called “Lady in the Veil”. But in resolving this issue, first of all, one should take into account the famous statement of Raphael himself from a letter to his friend Baldassare Castiglione that in creating the image of a perfect female beauty he is guided by a certain idea, which arises on the basis of many impressions from the beauties the artist saw in life. In other words, basically creative method The painter Raphael Santi turns out to be a selection and synthesis of observations of reality.

In the last years of his life, Raphael was so overloaded with orders that he entrusted the execution of many of them to his students and assistants (Giulio Romano, Giovanni da Udine, Perino del Vaga, Francesco Penni and others), usually limiting himself to general supervision of the works.

Rafael provided a huge impact on the subsequent development of Italian and European painting, becoming, along with the masters of antiquity, the highest example of artistic perfection. The art of Raphael, which had a tremendous influence on European painting of the 16th-19th and, partly, 20th centuries, for centuries retained the meaning of indisputable artistic authority and model for artists and viewers.

In the last years of his creativity, based on the artist’s drawings, his students created huge cardboards on biblical themes with episodes from the life of the apostles. Based on these cardboards, Brussels masters were supposed to create monumental tapestries that were intended to decorate the Sistine Chapel on holidays.

Paintings by Rafael Santi

The painting “Angel” by Raphael Santi was created by the artist at the age of 17-18 at the very beginning of the 16th century.

This magnificent early work by the young artist is part or fragment of the Baroncha altarpiece, damaged by the 1789 earthquake. The altarpiece “Coronation of Blessed Nicholas of Tolentino, conqueror of Satan” was commissioned by Andrea Baronci for his home chapel in the church of San Agostinho in Citta de Castello. In addition to the fragment of the painting “Angel”, three more parts of the altar have been preserved: “The Most High Creator” and “The Blessed Virgin Mary” in the Capodimonte Museum (Naples) and another fragment “Angel” in the Louvre (Paris).

The painting “Madonna Granduca” was painted by the artist Rafael Santi after moving to Florence.

The numerous images of Madonnas created by the young artist in Florence (“Madonna of Granduca”, “Madonna of the Goldfinch”, “Madonna of the Greens”, “Madonna with the Child Christ and John the Baptist” or “The Beautiful Gardener” and others) brought Raphael Santi all-Italian fame.

The painting “The Dream of a Knight” was painted by the artist Rafael Santi in the early years of his work.

The painting is from Borghese’s legacy, probably paired with another work by the artist, “The Three Graces.” These paintings - "The Dream of a Knight" and "The Three Graces" - are almost miniature in composition size.

The theme of “The Knight’s Dream” is a unique refraction of the ancient myth of Hercules at the crossroads between the allegorical embodiments of Valor and Pleasure. Near the young knight, depicted sleeping against the backdrop of a beautiful landscape, stand two young women. One of them, in formal attire, offers him a sword and a book, the other a branch with flowers.

In the painting “The Three Graces” the very compositional motif of three naked female figures is apparently borrowed from an antique cameo. And although there is still a lot of uncertainty in these works of the artist (“The Three Graces” and “The Dream of a Knight”), they attract with their naive charm and poetic purity. Already here some features inherent in Raphael’s talent were revealed - the poetry of images, a sense of rhythm and the soft melodiousness of lines.

The altarpiece “Madonna of Ansidei” by Raphael Santi was painted by the artist in Florence; the young painter was not yet 25 years old.

Unicorn, a mythical animal with the body of a bull, horse or goat and one long straight horn on its forehead.

The unicorn is a symbol of purity and virginity. According to legend, only an innocent girl can tame the ferocious unicorn. The painting “Lady with a Unicorn” was painted by Rafael Santi based on a mythological plot popular during the Renaissance and mannerism, which many artists used in their paintings.

The painting “Lady with a Unicorn” was badly damaged in the past, but has now been partially restored.

Painting by Raphael Santi “Madonna in Greenery” or “Mary and Child and John the Baptist”.

In Florence, Raphael created the Madonna cycle, indicating the onset of a new stage in his work. Belonging to the most famous of them, “Madonna of the Greens” (Vienna, Museum), “Madonna with the Goldfinch” (Uffizi) and “Madonna of the Gardener” (Louvre) represent a kind of variants of a common motif - the image of a young beautiful mother with the child Christ and little John the Baptist against the backdrop of a landscape. These are also variations of one theme - the theme of maternal love, bright and serene.

Altarpiece painting "Madonna di Foligno" by Raphael Santi.

In the 1510s, Raphael worked a lot in the field of altar composition. A number of his works of this kind, among which should be called the Madonna di Foligno, lead us to greatest creation his easel painting- “The Sistine Madonna.” This painting was created in 1515-1519 for the Church of St. Sixtus in Piacenza and is now in the Dresden Art Gallery.

The painting "Madonna di Foligno" in its own way compositional construction similar to the famous “Sistine Madonna”, with the only difference that in the painting “Madonna di Foligno” there are more characters and the image of the Madonna is distinguished by a kind of internal isolation - her gaze is occupied with her child - the Christ Child.

The painting “Madonna del Impannata” by Rafael Santi was created by the great painter almost at the same time as the famous “Sistine Madonna”.

In the painting, the artist depicts the Virgin Mary with the children Christ and John the Baptist, Saint Elizabeth and Saint Catherine. The painting “Madonna del Impannata” testifies to the further improvement of the artist’s style, to the complication of images in comparison with the soft lyrical images of his Florentine Madonnas.

The mid-1510s were the time of Raphael's best portrait work.

Castiglione, Count Baldassare (Castiglione; 1478-1526) - Italian diplomat and writer. Born near Mantua, he served at various Italian courts, was the ambassador of the Duke of Urbino in the 1500s for Henry VII of England, and from 1507 in France for King Louis XII. In 1525, already at a fairly advanced age, he was sent by the papal nuncio to Spain.

In this portrait, Raphael showed himself to be an outstanding colorist, able to sense color in its complex shades and tonal transitions. The portrait of the Lady in the Veil differs from the portrait of Baldassare Castiglione in its remarkable coloristic qualities.

Researchers of the work of the artist Raphael Santi and historians of Renaissance painting find in the features of the model of this female portrait of Raphael a resemblance to the face of the Virgin Mary in his famous painting “The Sistine Madonna.”

Joan of Aragon 1518 Louvre Museum, Paris.

The customer of the painting is Cardinal Bibbiena, writer and secretary to Pope Leo X; the painting was intended as a gift to the French king Francis I. The portrait was only begun by the artist, and it is not known for certain which of his students (Giulio Romano, Francesco Penni or Perino del Vaga) completed it.

Joanna of Aragon (? -1577) - daughter of the Neapolitan king Federigo (later deposed), wife of Ascanio, Prince Taliacosso, famous for her beauty.

The extraordinary beauty of Joan of Aragon was glorified by contemporary poets in a number of poetic dedications, the collection of which comprised an entire volume, published in Venice

The artist depicts in the painting classic version biblical chapter from the Revelation of John the Theologian or the Apocalypse.
“And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought against them, but they did not stand, and there was no longer a place for them in heaven. And the great dragon was cast out, that ancient serpent, called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world, he was cast out to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him...”

Frescoes by Raphael

The fresco by artist Raphael Santi “Adam and Eve” also has another name - “The Fall”.

The size of the fresco is 120 x 105 cm. Raphael painted the fresco “Adam and Eve” on the ceiling of the pontiff’s chambers.

The fresco by artist Raphael Santi “The School of Athens” also has another name - “Philosophical Conversations”. The size of the fresco, the length of the base is 770 cm. After moving to Rome in 1508, Raphael was entrusted with painting the pope's apartments - the so-called stanzas (that is, rooms), which include three rooms on the second floor of the Vatican Palace and the adjacent hall. The general ideological program of the fresco cycles in the stanzas, as conceived by the customers, was supposed to serve the glorification of authority catholic church and its head - the Roman high priest.

Along with allegorical and biblical images, individual frescoes depict episodes from the history of the papacy, and some compositions include portrait images Julius II and his successor Leo X.

The customer of the painting “The Triumph of Galatea” is Agostino Chigi, a banker from Siena; The fresco was painted by the artist in the banquet hall of the villa.

Raphael Santi's fresco "The Triumph of Galatea" depicts beautiful Galatea swiftly moving through the waves on a shell pulled by dolphins, surrounded by newts and naiads.

In one of the first frescoes executed by Raphael, the Dispute, which depicts a conversation about the sacrament of the sacrament, cult motifs were most prominent. The symbol of communion itself - the host (wafer) - is installed on the altar in the center of the composition. The action takes place on two planes - on earth and in heaven. Below, on a stepped dais, the church fathers, popes, prelates, clergy, elders and youths were located on both sides of the altar.

Among other participants here you can recognize Dante, Savonarola, and the pious monk-painter Fra Beato Angelico. Above the entire mass of figures in the lower part of the fresco, like a heavenly vision, the personification of the Trinity appears: God the Father, below him, in a halo of golden rays, is Christ with the Mother of God and John the Baptist, even lower, as if marking the geometric center of the fresco, is a dove in sphere, a symbol of the holy spirit, and on the sides the apostles are seated on floating clouds. And all this huge number of figures, with such a complex compositional design, is distributed with such skill that the fresco leaves an impression of amazing clarity and beauty.

Prophet Isaiah 1511-1512. San Agostinho, Rome.

Raphael's fresco depicts the great biblical prophet of the Old Testament at the moment of revelation of the coming of the Messiah. Isaiah (9th century BC), Hebrew prophet, zealous champion of the religion of Yahweh and denouncer of idolatry. The biblical Book of the Prophet Isaiah bears his name.

One of the four great Old Testament prophets. For Christians, Isaiah’s prophecy about the Messiah (Immanuel; ch. 7, 9 - “...behold, the Virgin will be with child and give birth to a Son, and they will call his name Immanuel”) is of particular significance. The memory of the prophet is revered in Orthodox Church 9 (May 22), in Catholic - July 6.

Frescoes and last paintings of Raphael

The fresco “The Deliverance of the Apostle Peter from Prison,” which depicts the miraculous release of the Apostle Peter from prison by an angel (an allusion to the release of Pope Leo X from French captivity when he was papal legate), makes a very strong impression.

On the ceiling lamps of the papal apartments - Stanza della Segnatura, Raphael painted the frescoes “The Fall”, “The Victory of Apollo over Marsyas”, “Astronomy” and a fresco on the famous Old Testament story “The Judgment of Solomon”.
It is difficult to find in the history of art any other artistic ensemble that would give the impression of such figurative richness in terms of ideological and visual-decorative design as Raphael’s Vatican stanzas. Walls covered with multi-figure frescoes, vaulted ceilings with rich gilded decor, with fresco and mosaic inserts, floor beautiful pattern- all this could create the impression of overload, if not for the high orderliness inherent in the general plan of Rafael Santi, which brings the necessary clarity and visibility to this complex artistic complex.

Before recent years Rafael paid great attention to his life monumental painting. One of the artist’s largest works was the painting of the Villa Farnesina, which belonged to the richest Roman banker Chigi.

In the early 1910s, Raphael painted the fresco “The Triumph of Galatea” in the main hall of this villa, which is one of his best works.

Myths about Princess Psyche tell about the desire of the human soul to merge with love. For her indescribable beauty, people revered Psyche more than Aphrodite. According to one version, a jealous goddess sent her son, the deity of love Cupid, to arouse in the girl a passion for the ugliest of people, however, when he saw the beauty, the young man lost his head and forgot about his mother’s order. Having become the husband of Psyche, he did not allow her to look at him. She, burning with curiosity, lit a lamp at night and looked at her husband, not noticing a hot drop of oil falling on his skin, and Cupid disappeared. In the end, by the will of Zeus, the lovers united. Apuleius in Metamorphoses retells the myth of romantic story Cupid and Psyche; the wanderings of the human soul, eager to meet its love.

The painting depicts Fornarina, the lover of Rafael Santi, whose real name is Margherita Luti. Fornarina's real name was established by researcher Antonio Valeri, who discovered it in a manuscript from a Florentine library and in a list of nuns of a monastery, where the novice was identified as the widow of the artist Raphael.

Fornarina is the legendary lover and model of Raphael, whose real name is Margherita Luti. According to many Renaissance art critics and historians of the artist’s work, Fornarina is depicted on two famous paintings Rafael Santi - “Fornarina” and “The Veiled Lady”. It is also believed that Fornarina, in all likelihood, served as a model for the creation of the image of the Virgin Mary in the painting “The Sistine Madonna”, as well as some other female images of Raphael.

Transfiguration of Christ 1519-1520. Pinacoteca Vatican, Rome.

The painting was originally created as an altarpiece for the Cathedral of Narbonne, commissioned by Cardinal Giulio Medici, Bishop of Narbonne. The contradictions of the last years of Raphael’s work were most reflected in the huge altar composition “The Transfiguration of Christ” - it was completed after Raphael’s death by Giulio Romano.

This picture is divided into two parts. The upper part shows the actual transformation - this more harmonious part of the picture was done by Raphael himself. Below are the apostles trying to heal a possessed boy

It was Raphael Santi’s altar painting “The Transfiguration of Christ” that became an indisputable model for academic painters for centuries.
Raphael died in 1520. His premature death was unexpected and made a deep impression on his contemporaries.

Raphael Santi deservedly ranks among the greatest masters of the High Renaissance.

An Italian artist of the Renaissance, a brilliant graphic artist and a master of architectural solutions, Rafael Santi absorbed the experience of the Umbrian school of painting. His paintings, like a mirror, reflected the ideals of the Renaissance. The world became kinder and purer when the eyes of Raphael's Madonnas looked at it - Sistine, Conestabile, Pasadena, Orleans.

Childhood and youth

The painter was born in the spring of 1483 in the town of Urbino with a population of 15,000 in eastern Italy. Father Giovanni dei Santi worked as a court artist for the Duke, and Margie's mother Charla raised her son and ran the household. Rafael's family had the means to pay for a wet nurse, but Giovanni insisted that his wife feed the baby herself. As a child, Rafael Santi showed a talent for painting. The father noticed this when he took the boy to the castle, where masters who masterfully wielded the brush worked - the Duke welcomed art, highlighting artists.

Paolo Uccello, Luca Signorelli are the names of painters known to every Italian. The masters painted portraits of the Duke and his relatives and painted the palace walls. The eyes of young Raphael closely watched the masters’ brushes. Soon Santi realized that his son would leave both him and Uccello and Signorelli in the shadows. Rafael Santi was orphaned early: as soon as he was 8 years old, his mother died. Care itself dear person left a mark on the artist’s creative biography. His Madonnas and portraits of his beloved women seem to glow with maternal love, which the artist did not receive in childhood.

Soon Bernardina's stepmother appeared in the house, for whom her husband's son was someone else's child. At 12, the artist was left an orphan. Even then, the teenager demonstrated amazing skill, and he was assigned to the workshop of the artist Pietro Perugino. The painter taught the boy until sophisticated experts could no longer distinguish copies of Raphael from paintings by Perugino. Santi, like a sponge, absorbed the experience of teachers and left all the students behind, while not being arrogant and being friends with them.

Painting

In 1504, 21-year-old Raphael Santi found himself in Florence: the young painter moved to the cradle of the Renaissance following Perugino. The move had a beneficial effect on the young man’s career and skill - the teacher introduced Raphael to famous painters, sculptors and architects. In the city on the banks of the Arno, Santi met. We know about the lost painting of the brilliant Leonardo “Leda and the Swan” thanks to a copy by Raphael Santi. The artist’s Florentine period gave the world 20 Raphaelian Madonnas and Children, in which Santi invested all his longing for his mother.

The year of his move to Florence was marked by the writing of several early masterpieces by Raphael. The painting “The Betrothal of the Virgin Mary” and the painting “The Dream of a Knight” date back to 1504. “Madonna Conestabile” and “The Three Graces” appeared in Florence. The last painting, which is now kept in the museum of the French city of Chantilly, depicts the goddesses Innocence, Beauty and Love, holding golden balls in their hands - symbols of perfection. Rafael Santi's early paintings show the influence of his teacher, but after 2-3 years the artist demonstrates his own style.

Since 1508, the painter has lived in Rome, where he received an invitation from Pope Julius II. Having heard about the young man, the priest invited Santi to paint the stanzas - the ceremonial rooms of the Vatican Palace. Having seen the sketch of Raphael's fresco, Julius II was so delighted that he gave all the surfaces to the painter, ordering the old drawings to be removed. From 1509, Raphael Santi would remain in the Eternal City, painting the stanzas, until the day of his death. Raphael's Stanzas are four halls measuring 6 by 9 meters, each of which has four fresco compositions. The artist was helped by his students; one fresco was completed after the painter’s death according to his sketches.

The most famous stanza is the fresco “The School of Athens” (the second name is “Philosophical Conversations”). On it, Rafael Santi placed 50 figures of philosophers, in whose appearance the faces of artists and thinkers of Italy are recognizable (written with da Vinci, similar to). Pope Leo X, who took the place of the deceased Julius II, appointed Santi chief architect and custodian of valuables in 1514. Raphael built St. Peter's Basilica, making changes to the original plan of his deceased predecessor Donato Bramante, and made a census of monuments Ancient Rome. The genius of the master belongs to the Church of Sant'Eligio degli Orefici, the Chigi Chapel, and the Vidoni-Caffarelli Palace.

In Rome, Raphael Santi continued the gallery of Madonnas, bringing the number of paintings to 42. They are just as touching, and the charm of motherhood shines through in the eyes, hands, and every line of clothing. But in the Roman gallery of Madonnas and Children, the artist’s signature and individuality are already visible. The women's faces are sensual, there is concern for the child in their eyes. Landscape compositions in the background become more complex, introducing shades of meaning into the picture.

Art critics point to the Quattrocento style prevailing in early images of Madonnas: the figures are frontal and constrained, the faces are solemnly abstract, the gaze is calm. Quattrocento is blurred by sensuality in Florentine period, and the Roman Madonnas were painted in the emerging Baroque style.

In the master's house in Urbino, which is now called the "House-Museum of Raphael Santi", the artist's early work "Madonna of the House of Santi" is exhibited. Art historians are not sure that the canvas was painted by Raphael: there is an opinion that it belongs to the brush of his father, who depicted his wife and little son. In the painting, the Madonna’s profile is turned to the viewer, her eyes are fixed on the book, her hands gently touch her son. The work dates back to 1498. The most mysterious is called the Granduca Madonna, an early work by Raphael dating back to 1505. It is kept in the Uffizi Gallery in Florence.

From an X-ray of the painting, scientists determined that the top layer was applied a century after Rafael Santi painted the painting. Art historians agree that the artist Carlo Dolci, the owner of the canvas, painted a dark background because he considered it appropriate for religious rites. "Madonna Granduca" is in the gallery of Florence.

“Madonna Conestabile” is an early work of the 20-year-old artist, painted in Umbria in 1502-04. This is an unfinished miniature, which Raphael did not have time to complete due to his move to Florence. Its second title is “Madonna with a Book.” The Mother of God sadly looks at the smiling baby, who has taken a book (presumably the Holy Scriptures) with his hand.

Personal life

The artist’s talent was appreciated during his lifetime: the patrons, not wanting the master to be lured away by the French, paid him generously for his work. Raphael had a mansion in the antique style, built according to his own design. Merchants and dukes dreamed of marrying their daughter to a famous painter, but the subtle connoisseur of female beauty held firm. Cardinal Bibbiena, who wanted to become related to Santi, achieved Raphael's engagement to his niece, but the maestro refused last moment.

The woman who was able to win the heart of 30-year-old Rafael was the baker’s daughter, whom Santi nicknamed “Fornarina” (bun, crumpet). The artist saw 17-year-old Margarita Luti in the Chigi garden, where he was working on the images of Cupid and Psyche. Rafael Santi paid the baker 50 gold so that his daughter would pose for him, and he was so carried away by the young beauty that he bought it from his father for 3 thousand coins.

For six years Margarita was the artist’s muse, inspiring masterpieces. After the death of Raphael, “Fornarina”, having inherited a house and contents, abandoned everything and went to a monastery. In the records of the monastery, Margarita is listed as the painter's widow.

Death

The cause of the artist's death is unknown. According to Raphael's contemporary, the painter and writer Vasari, the death of the 37-year-old maestro was the result of debauchery. After a stormy night, Santi returned home and complained of feeling unwell. The doctor performed bloodletting, which worsened the patient’s condition, and he died. The second version talks about a cold that Raphael caught in the burial galleries, where he participated in excavations.

The artist died on April 6, 1520. The final resting place was a tomb in the Roman Pantheon. The epitaph is engraved on the slab covering the remains: “Here lies great Raphael, during whose life nature was afraid of being defeated, and after his death she was afraid to die.”

Works

• 1504 – “Betrothal of the Virgin Mary”
• 1504-1505 – “The Three Graces”
• 1506 – “Madonna in Greenery”
• 1506 – “Portrait of Agnolo Doni”
• 1506 – “Madonna with the Goldfinch”
• 1506 – “Portrait of a Lady with a Unicorn”
• 1507 – “The Beautiful Gardener”
• 1508 – “Great Madonna of Cowper”
• 1508 – “Madonna of Esterhazy”
• 1509 – “The School of Athens”
• 1510-1511 – “Dispute”
• 1511 – “Madonna Alba”
• 1511-1512 – “Expulsion of Heliodorus from the Temple”
• 1514 – “Meeting of Pope Leo I and Attila”
• 1513-1514 – “Sistine Madonna”
• 1518-1519 – “Portrait of a Young Woman” (“Fornarina”)
• 1518-1520 – “Transfiguration”

Raphael Santi was born in the city of Urbino in 1483, on April 6. His interest in painting began 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 study the basics of painting. At the age of 8, Rafael lost his mother, and at 11, his father. Thanks to the care of the stepmother and a sufficient amount Money, which 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 on.

His father, while 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 had 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 famous work there was an altarpiece for a church that was halfway between the city of his birth 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 influenced him most undoubtedly remained the same. His influence can be seen in Raphael's painting The Sistine Madonna. However, although he adopted the styles of various masters of the time, he continued to use his own unique style. A work in which one could already see more of the style characteristic of Raphael - “The Beautiful Gardener” (La Belle Jardinire) or “Madonna and Child with John the Baptist,” as it is also called.

In 1508, Raphael moved to work for the Vatican in Rome. He lived the rest of his life here. His influential family connections also played a huge role in his invitation to the Vatican. With the assistance of 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 the order to paint frescoes of the Stanza della Segnatura, first of Michelangelo, who receives official invitation a few months later. Raphael's first commissioned work in Rome was his largest and highest paying commission ever. He was to paint 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 commissioned by Pope Alexander VI, the predecessor and bitter enemy of Pope Julius II, Rodrigo Borgia. The works of Raphael in this room were one of best works artist. These include Parnassus, School of Athens, Disputa, Virtues 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 commission the artist to paint in another room for further work. The second room in which Raphael worked is called Stanza d'Eliodoro. In this room, Raphael mainly focuses on God's protection of human activity. The influence of Michelangelo is clearly visible in these works. However, as has been the case throughout his career, the artist manages to use his own style, while still using many techniques from other masters. At one time, Michelangelo was quite irritated 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 Raphael's skill and supported the continuation of the painting. In addition, his complex network of friends played a significant role in providing the artist with orders, in such quantities that he would probably never be left without work. Rafael Santi continued to work on the project, but already played a smaller role in it. To complete it, he began to send a team of his assistants. Its big and complex work for him, Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo came to define the century 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 orders. His most notable projects outside the Vatican are a series of altarpieces and Roman Madonnas. These works demonstrate an evolution in Raphael's style. 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 has been described as one of the largest ever owned by a craftsman. Undoubtedly, he adopted much of the experience of running a workshop 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 relationships with all of them. His workshop was 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 Basilica. In 1515 he also received the position of chief custodian 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 pictures, sometimes using a silver tip. A drawing made in this way is initially bluish-gray in color. Gradually, after oxidation, it acquires a brownish tint. As can be seen from his numerous drawings, he was a very innovative artist. Raphael never made copies of his works, but willingly collaborated with other artists and allowed them to use his sketches to create engravings.

The artist has never been married. For some time he was infatuated with Margherita Luti (Fornarina - baker), the daughter of a rich baker.

According to one version, numerous noisy games with his mistresses led to his premature death at thirty-seven years old. But still, this version is the subject of serious controversy. According to another version, he fell ill after having sex with Fornarina. But if we take into account the large amount of work that the artist performed, the morals 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, we can assume that all this together, in general, could have caused Raphael’s early death. In any case, after so many hundreds of years since his death, one can now only speculate about its cause, since some biographical facts remain unknown, and instead of them many 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, at his own request.

Without a doubt, Raphael is one of the leading artists of the Renaissance. Together with Titian, Donatello, Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Shakespeare, and a small group of contemporaries, Raphael became the center of a movement of artistic figures who enriched not only Western but also world culture with their masterpieces.

"Sistine Madonna". The painting measures 196 cm x 265 cm and was done in oil on canvas in 1514. Located in the Old Masters Gallery, Dresden, Germany.

“The Beautiful Gardener” (Madonna with Child and John the Baptist), measuring 80 cm. 122 cm. Made in oil on panel around 1507. Located in the Louvre, Paris.

"Madonna and the Goldfinch." The painting measures 77 cm x 107 cm and was done in oil on panel in 1506. Located in the Uffizi Gallery, Florence, Italy.

"Madonna in Green" (Belvedere Madonna). The painting measures 88 cm x 113 cm and was done in oil on panel in 1506. Located in the Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna, Austria.

"Madonna Conestabile". The painting measures 18 cm x 17.5 cm, made in oil in 1504, transferred from wood to canvas. Is in State Hermitage, in St. Petersburg.

"Madonna in a Chair" The painting measures 71 cm x 71 cm and was done in oil in 1514. Located in Palazzo Pitti, Florence, Italy.

"Madonna Granduca" The painting measures 55.9 cm x 84.4 cm and was done in oil on panel in 1504. Located in the Palatine Gallery of Palazzo Pitti, Florence.

"Madonna Alba". The painting is in tondo shape, measuring 94.5 cm x 94.5 cm, painted in 1511, and transferred in oil to canvas. Located in the National Gallery of Art, Washington, USA.

"Madonna Tempi". The painting measures 51 cm x 75 cm and was done in oil on panel in 1507. Located in the Alte Pinakothek art gallery, Munich, Germany.

"Madonna Foligno". The painting measures 194 cm x 320 cm, made in 1512, transferred in oil to canvas. Located in the Vatican Pinacoteca.

"Three Graces". The painting measures 17 cm x 17 cm and was done in oil on panel in 1504. Located in the Condé Museum, Chantilly, France.

"Cardinal Bibbiena". The portrait measures 76 cm x 107 cm, painted in oil on panel, around 1516, located in Palazzo Pitti.

The portrait of Baldassare Castiglione (Count of Novilara, Italian writer) measures 67 cm x 82 cm, executed in oil on panel around 1515, now in the Louvre, Paris.

"Lady with a Unicorn" Female portrait measures 61 cm x 65 cm, executed in oil on panel around 1506, located in the Galleria Borghese, Rome.

"Julius II". The portrait of the 216th Pope Giuliano della Rovere measures 81 cm x 108 cm, executed in oil on panel in 1511, located in the London National Gallery, Great Britain.

"Fornarina". The portrait presumably depicts Raphael's beloved woman. Its size is 60 cm x 85 cm. It was painted in oil on panel in 1519. Located in Palazzo Barberini, Rome.

"The School of Athens" The fresco measuring 770 cm x 500 cm was painted in 1511 in Stanza della Segnatura, in the Vatican Palace (Apostolic Palace in the Vatican).

"Parnassus". The fresco, 670 cm wide, was painted in 1511 in the Stanza della Segnatura, in the Vatican Palace.

"Disputation". The fresco measures 770 cm x 500 cm, painted in 1510 in Stanza della Segnatura.

"Virtues and Law". The fresco is 660 cm wide and was painted between 1508 and 1511. in Stanza della Segnatura.