Rafael lived and worked in. Raphael Sanzio - the great artist of the Renaissance

A great artist of Italian origin, a representative of the Umbrian school of painting. One of the classics of the era of the birth of the Renaissance.

Childhood

Rafael Santi was born in the family of the Italian artist Giovanni Santi and Margie Charla. The artist's childhood was carefree and cheerful until he lost both parents and became an orphan. Before his death, his father managed to develop a love for art in the boy, and the young artist created his first works in his studio. It was in childhood that the artist developed a love for the image of the Madonna. His first mentor after his father is Pietro Perugino, so his early paintings are very similar to him in style. He repeatedly visits his native land during training. In 1502, the canvas depicting the Madonna, which became quite famous "Madonna Solli", is presented to the world. Over time, the painter develops his personal performance and character. The main part of his works at this time, altarpieces and only a few small canvases.

Talent Development

Not wanting to set boundaries for his abilities and having a zeal to develop talent, he goes to Florence. Toward the end of 1504, he meets famous and talented artists such as Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Bartolomeo. Most of all, the artist was interested in the style of da Vinci's performance, and he redraws some of his work. Stuffing his hand on the works of famous Florentine painters, Raphael develops the smoothness of lines and the subtlety of matter. The first orders began to arrive almost immediately. The portrait, painted by Raphael by order of Agnolo Doni, was very reminiscent of da Vinci's Gioconda. He tries to achieve his maximum by developing performance. Almost all the orders that the artist received were on a religious theme. He wrote more than twenty Madonnas with a child. His most famous Madonnas were painted during his stay in Florence "Madonna with a Goldfinch", "Beautiful Gardener".

At the end of 1508, the artist moved to Rome, where he serves as the personal draftsman of the papal court. The first order was a painting for Stanzu della Senyatura. The artist chose the intellectual activity of a person as the main theme for painting. In 1510, he painted his most famous painting, The School of Athens. This production is a great example of a multi-figure composition. The canvas depicts 50 of the greatest thinkers, astronomers and mathematicians. Each figure is a clearly thought out and traced character with a character and its own history. Some of the thinkers depicted in the mural were endowed with a visual resemblance to da Vinci, Michelangelo, and even the creator of the composition himself.

Work in the Vatican

Pope Julius II was fascinated by the work of Raphael even at a time when the "School of Athens" was still at the stage of sketches. He was entrusted with painting three stanzas, removing those artists who had already carried out design work on them. Anticipating a huge amount of work, Raphael took on students who helped him with painting. Ultimately, the fourth stanza was completely performed by the artist's students. Stanza Eliodoro attracted the greatest interest of the public with the fresco "The Liberation of the Apostle Peter from the dungeon." The placement of the image was directly under the window, which created the illusion of a darkened room in the image. Subtlety and smoothness of lines, bright color transitions and liveliness of highlights. The performance was so masterfully executed that the viewer involuntarily has a feeling of the reality of what is happening. Every shadow has been thought out. The bright heat of the fire from the torch and its reflections on the armor. No one has ever succeeded in such a performance of the night time of the day, Raphael was the first to achieve such a realistic effect.

In 1513 there was a change of the Pope, but Leo X valued the artist no less than his predecessors. In the same year, the artist received an order to paint the Sistine Chapel. Immediately, he takes up the creation of canvases with the theme of scenes from the Bible. Unfortunately, only seven paintings have survived to this day. Another commission made by the pope was the decoration of the loggia with frescoes, which were part of the courtyard of the Vatican. Due to the fact that the order was very large, about 50 frescoes were made by Raphael's pupils according to the master's sketches. In 1515 he was awarded the post of chief curator of antiquities. In the same year, Raphael met Dürer, a German artist. As a gift in honor of the acquaintance, the draftsmen thanked one another with their canvases. The fate of the images remains unknown.

Drawing and painting

Despite the fact that most of the works performed by Raphael are frescoes and paintings on the Biblical theme, the artist created quite a few portraits. "Portrait of Pope Julius II" was made so realistic that people froze with trepidation. Many even bowed to the portrait as a sign of respect for the work done by the artist. After such a reaction from the public, the artist was ordered to paint portraits of his inner circle and Giulio Medici. The artist also painted his own self-portraits. One of his self-portraits is shrouded in a haze of mystery, since the person with whom he portrayed himself is unknown to anyone.

About 400 sketches and drawings were left by the artist. Some of his graphic works were used to create prints by Marcantonio Raimondi. Many of his students copied the teacher's sketches and created works from them. Unfortunately, none of the young artists taught by Raphael achieved great success. And all the works that were created by the students based on the sketches of the painter were perceived negatively by the public. They also created architectural projects. He completed the construction of the Vatican courtyard with loggias. He began to design and build Villa Madama, but could not finish it.

Death

The artist died quite young on April 6, 1520, before he even reached the age of forty. He died of a fever that raged in those years in Rome, which he picked up during the excavation of the tomb.

- December 5, 2012 at Sotheby's auction was sold Raphael's drawing "Head of a young apostle" to the painting "Transfiguration". The price was £29,721,250, double the starting price. This is a record amount for graphic works.

Features of the work of Raphael Santi (1483-1520), an Italian artist, master of graphics and architecture, a representative of the Umbrian school of painting, are described in this article.

Rafael Santi creativity and main ideas

The work of Raphael Santi briefly

Creativity embodied the bright and lofty ideals of Renaissance humanism. He lived a short but eventful life. And during this time, the content of Rafael Santi's work expanded to create the ideal of a harmoniously developed, beautiful person, surrounded by a majestic landscape and architecture. Studying with Perugino, the future artist adopted the freedom of staging figures, the smoothness of lines.

At the age of 17, he already created a number of paintings full of spiritual clarity, harmony and maturity - "Madonna Conestabile", "Sistine Madonna", "Betrothal of Mary".

Arriving in Florence, he absorbed the knowledge of local artists like a sponge. The main ideas of Raphael Santi Florentine period were permeated with the lyrical theme of maternal love (the artist lost his mother at the age of 8). Here he created such paintings: “Madonna with a Goldfinch”, “Madonna in the Green”, “Beautiful Gardener”. All of them had the same type of composition of the figures of the infant Christ, Mary and the Baptist against the backdrop of a rural landscape. The artist's strokes are soft, melodious and natural.

In 1508, Pope Julius II invited him to Rome to paint the Vatican Palace. The artist worked on the palace for 8 whole years, which allowed him to be promoted to the top three masters of monumental art. A distinctive feature of Santi is a decorative system of frescoes with allegorical figures. The Roman period was rich not only in frescoes, but also in portrait paintings.

Rafael Santi achievements in the field of portraiture: he painted portraits of Pope Leo X, Julius II, Cardinal Ludovico dei Rossi and Giulio dei Medici. They were sharp and full of life.

But the greatest creation of the master remains the "Sistine Madonna". This is a very deep image of Mary walking through the clouds in her arms with a baby. The picture radiates impeccable harmony, dynamic balance, smooth linear outlines, freedom and naturalness of movements.

What did Rafael Santi do for art?

He created his own worldview in art, based on his ideas. The latter were formulated on the basis of Plato's treatises. His paintings from the Madonna cycle convey the grace and beauty of mothers, and his portraits convey grandeur and dignity, bearing the stamp of spirituality. The artist managed to synthesize two worlds: Christian and classical Greek. In this, historians see the main merit of Santi before art. "Hellenized Christianity" contained the experience of the author's predecessors, who thoroughly studied it. The master of the brush approved a new ideal in the art of the West. He managed to transform humanistic ideas into clear and simple images that conveyed philosophical and everyday concepts.

Rafael Santi short biography

Raphael Santi - Italian painter, graphic artist and architect, representative of the Umbrian school.

In 1500 he moved to Perugia and entered the workshop of Perugino to study painting. At the same time, Rafael completed the first independent works: the skills and abilities adopted from his father affected. The most successful of his early works are the Conestabile Madonna (1502-1503), The Knight's Dream, Saint George (both 1504)

Feeling like an accomplished artist, Raphael left his teacher in 1504 and moved to Florence. Here he worked hard on creating the image of the Madonna, to whom he dedicated at least ten works (“Madonna with a Goldfinch”, 1506-1507; “The Entombment”, 1507, etc.).

At the end of 1508, Pope Julius II invited Raphael to move to Rome, where the artist spent the final period of his short life. At the court of the Pope, he received the position of "artist of the Apostolic See." The main place in his work is now occupied by the paintings of the front chambers (stations) of the Vatican Palace.

In Rome, Raphael reached perfection as a portrait painter and acquired the opportunity to realize his talent as an architect: from 1514 he supervised the construction of St. Peter's Cathedral.

In 1515, he was appointed commissioner for antiquities, which meant the study and protection of ancient monuments and control over excavations.

And Leonardo da Vinci. He was a master of photorealistic depiction of emotions in great detail, which brought life to the paintings. Raphael is considered a perfectly "balanced" artist, and many of his paintings are rightfully recognized as the cornerstones of Renaissance art. Here are 10 of the most famous paintings by this great Italian artist.

Raphael. 10 iconic works.

Year of creation: 1504

Based on a painting with the same theme, but by Pietro Perugino, The Marriage of the Virgin Mary depicts the marriage of the heroine to Joseph. There is an evolution of Raphael's style, which surpasses Perugino. The temple in the background is drawn with such obvious care that it is surprising to imagine what difficulties the author had to go through at the time of writing.

Year of creation: 1506

The painting depicting the famous legend of Saint George slaying the dragon is perhaps the most iconic of all the works on this subject. It was one of the Hermitage's most popular exhibits until it found its place in the National Gallery of Art (Washington), where it remains one of the most popular works to this day.

Year of creation: 1515

The famous portrait of Donna Velata emphasizes the artist's amazing ability to paint with such exquisite perfection that it seems as if the figure is looking at the viewer, blurring the line of reality. The woman's clothes once again show Raphael's attention to detail, which fills the picture with even greater realism. The only thing known about the main character of the picture is that she was the mistress of the author.

Year of creation: 1510

Along with the frescoes of the Sistine Chapel, the frescoes of Raphael in the Apostolic Palace are the quintessence of the High Renaissance in Rome. One of the four great works (also the School of Athens, Parnassus and the Law) is a discourse on the sacrament. The church painting spans heaven and earth and is rightfully considered one of Raphael's most famous frescoes.

Parnassus. Raphael

Year of creation: 1515

One of the most significant Renaissance portraits depicts the artist's friend, diplomat and humanist Castiglione, who is considered a typical example of the nobility of that period. The painting influenced such well-known artists as Titian, Matisse and Rembrandt.

Year of creation: 1514

In Greek mythology, the beautiful Neriad (ocean spirit) Garatea is the daughter of Poseidon. She had the misfortune of being married to the jealous one-eyed giant Polyphemus, who kills Akis, the son of Pan, after learning that his wife wanted to cheat on him. Instead of depicting this story, Raphael paints the apotheosis of Galatea. This work, perhaps, has no analogues in the skill of conveying the classical spirit of antiquity.

Year of creation: 1507

The popularity of the artist at that time was not connected with his main works, but was built on the basis of numerous small paintings. They are still popular today, and one of the most famous such works is the Beautiful Gardener ("Madonna in a Beautiful Garden"). The painting shows a calm communion between the Madonna in an informal pose with the young Christ and the young John the Baptist. This is a typical example of Raphael's painting.

Year of creation: 1520

Transfiguration is the last painting that Raphael created. It is divided into two logical parts. The top half depicts Christ and the prophets Elijah and Moses on either side of him. In the lower fragment, the apostles unsuccessfully attempt to cure a boy of demonic possession. The painting can be interpreted as depicting the contrast between God and man, where purity and symmetry are above and chaos and darkness are below.

Year of creation: 1512

Raphael's masterpiece, as mentioned above, is one of the four frescoes in the Apostolic Palace (Vatican). Critics and art historians believe that among the 21 single figures, one can find all the significant philosophers of Greece. The embodiment of the spirit of the Renaissance - this is most likely the most famous painting by Santi.

10 iconic works by Raphael updated: October 2, 2017 by: Gleb

Rafael Santi (Raffaello Santi) is an Italian artist, master of graphics and architectural solutions, a representative of the Umbrian school of painting.

Raphael Santi was born at three in the morning in the family of an artist and decorator on April 6, 1483 in the Italian city (Urbino). It is the cultural and historical center of the region (Marche) in eastern Italy. Near the birthplace of Raphael are the resort towns of Pesaro (Pesaro) and (Rimini).

Parents

The father of the future celebrity, Giovanni Santi, worked in the castle of the Duke of Urbino, Federico da Montefeltro, and his mother, Margie Charla, was a housewife.

The father noticed his son's ability to paint early and often took him to the palace with him, where the boy communicated with such famous artists as Piero della Francesca, Paolo Uccello and Luca Signorelli.

School in Perugia

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At the age of 8, Rafael lost his mother and his father brought into the house a new wife, Bernardina, who did not show love for someone else's child. At the age of 12, the boy was left an orphan having lost his father. The trustees sent the young talent to study with Pietro Vannucci in Perugia.

Until 1504, Raphael was educated at the school of Perugino, enthusiastically studying the mastery of the teacher and trying to imitate him in everything. Friendly, charming, devoid of arrogance, the young man found friends everywhere and quickly adopted the experience of teachers. Soon his works could not be distinguished from the works of Pietro Perugino (Pietro Perugino).

The first famous masterpieces of Raphael were the paintings:

1. "Betrothal of the Virgin Mary" (Lo sposalizio della Vergine), 1504, exhibited in the Milan Gallery (Pinacoteca di Brera);
2. "Madonna Conestabile" (Madonna Connestabile), 1504, belongs to the Hermitage (St. Petersburg);
3. The Knight's Dream (Sogno del cavaliere), 1504, exhibited at the National Gallery in London;
4. "Three Graces" (Tre Grazie), 1504 exhibited at the Musée Condé in Chantilly (Château de Chantilly), France;

The influence of Perugino is clearly traced in the works, Raphael began to create his own style a little later.

In Florence

In 1504, Rafael Santi moved to (Firenze), following his teacher Perugino. Thanks to the teacher, the young man met the architectural genius Baccio d'Agnolo, the outstanding sculptor Andrea Sansovino, the painter Bastiano da Sangallo and his future friend and protector Taddeo Taddei. . A significant impact on the creative process of Raphael had a meeting with Leonardo da Vinci (Leonardo da Vinci). A copy of the painting “Leda and the Swan” (“Leda and the Swan”), owned by Raphael, has survived to this day (unique in that the original itself has not been preserved).

Under the influence of new teachers, Rafael Santi, while living in Florence, creates more than 20 Madonnas, putting into them his longing for the love and affection he missed from his mother. Images breathe love, tender and refined.

In 1507, the artist takes an order from Atalanta Baglióni, whose only son died. Raphael Santi creates the painting "The Entombment" (La deposizione), the last work in Florence.

Life in Rome

In 1508, Pope Julius II (Iulius PP. II), in the world - Giuliano della Rovere (Giuliano della Rovere) invites Raphael to Rome to paint the old Vatican Palace. From 1509 until the end of his days, the artist has been working, putting all his skill, all his talent and all his knowledge into his work.

When the architect Donato Bramante died, Pope Leo X (Leo PP. X), in the world - Giovanni Medici, from 1514 appointed Raphael as the leading architect of the construction (Basilica Sancti Petri), in 1515 he also becomes a custodian of values. The young man took responsibility for the census and the preservation of monuments. For the Temple of St. Peter, Raphael drew up a different plan and completed the construction of a courtyard with loggias.

Other architectural works of Raphael:

• Church of Sant'Eligio degli Orefici (Chiesa Sant'Eligio degli Orefici), erected on the street of the same name in, construction began in 1509.
• Chigi Chapel (La cappella Chigi) of the church (Basilica di Santa Maria del Popolo), located on Piazza del Popolo (Piazza del Popolo). Construction began in 1513, completed (Giovanni Bernini) in 1656.
• Palazzo Vidoni-Caffarelli in Rome, located at the intersection of Piazza Vidoni and Corso Vittorio Emanuele. Construction started in 1515.
• Now the ruined palace of Branconio del Aquila (Palazzo Branconio dell'Aquila), located in front of St. Peter's Cathedral. Construction was completed in 1520.
• The Pandolfini Palace (Palazzo Pandolfini) in Florence on San Gallo (via San Gallo) was erected by the architect Giuliano da Sangallo (Giuliano da Sangallo) according to the sketches of Raphael.

Pope Leo X was afraid that the French might lure a talented artist to them, so he tried to give him as much work as possible, not stinting on gifts and praise. In Rome, Raphael Santi continues to write Madonnas, without departing from his favorite theme of motherhood.

Personal life

Paintings by Raphael Santi brought him not only the fame of an outstanding artist, but also a lot of money. He never lacked both the attention of monarchs and financial means.

During the reign of Leo X, he acquired a luxurious antique-style house, built according to his own design. However, multiple attempts to marry a young man on the part of his patrons did not lead to anything. Raphael was a great admirer of female beauty. At the initiative of Cardinal Bibbiena (Bibbiena), the artist was engaged to his niece Maria Dovizi Bibbiena (Maria Dovizi da Bibbiena), but the wedding did not take place, the maestro did not want to tie the knot. The name of one famous mistress of Raphael is Beatrice from (Ferrara), but most likely she was an ordinary Roman courtesan.

The only woman who managed to win the heart of a rich ladies' man was Margherita Luti, the baker's daughter, nicknamed La Fornarina.

The artist met the girl in Chigi's garden while looking for an image for Cupid and Psyche. Thirty-year-old Rafael Santi painted (Villa Farnesina) in Rome, owned by his wealthy patron, and the beauty of a seventeen-year-old girl fit this image perfectly.

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The girl's father for 50 gold allowed her daughter to pose for the artist, and later for 3000 gold he allowed Raphael to take her with him. For six years, young people lived together, Margarita never ceased to inspire her admirer to new masterpieces, including:

• "Sistine Madonna" ("Madonna Sistina"), Gallery of Old Masters (Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister), Dresden (Dresden), Germany, 1514;.;
• "Donna Velata" ("La Velata"), Palatine Gallery (Galerie Palatine), (Palazzo Pitti), Florence, 1515;
• "Fornarina" ("La Fornarina"), Palazzo Barberini (Palazzo Barberini), Rome, 1519;

After the death of Raphael, young Margarita received a lifelong allowance and a house. But in 1520, the girl became a novice in the monastery, where she later died.

Death

The death of Raphael left many mysteries. According to one version, the artist, exhausted from his nightly adventures, returned home in a weakened state. The doctors were supposed to support his strength, but they performed bloodletting, which killed the patient. According to another version, Rafael caught a cold during excavations in underground burial galleries.

On April 6, 1520, the maesto died. He was buried in (Pantheon) with due honors. Raphael's tomb can be seen during the sightseeing of Rome at dawn.

Madonnas

Imitating his teacher Pietro Perugino (Pietro Perugino), Raphael painted a gallery of forty-two paintings of Our Lady and Child. Despite the variety of storylines, the works are united by the touching charm of motherhood. The artist transfers the lack of maternal love to his canvases, strengthening and idealizing a woman anxiously guarding a baby angel.

The first Madonnas by Raphael Santi were created in the quattrocento style, common during the early Renaissance in the 15th century. The images are constrained, dry, human figures are presented strictly frontally, the gaze is motionless, calmness and solemn abstraction are on the faces.

The Florentine period brings feelings to the images of the Mother of God, anxiety and pride in their child are manifested. Landscapes in the background become more complex, the interaction of the depicted characters is manifested.

In later Roman works, the birth (barocco) is guessed, feelings become more complex, poses and gestures are far from Renaissance harmony, the proportions of the figures are drawn out, and gloomy tones predominate.

Below are the most famous paintings and their descriptions:

The Sistine Madonna (Madonna Sistina) is the most famous of all images of Our Lady measuring 2 m 65 cm by 1 m 96 cm. The image of the Madonna is taken from 17-year-old Margherita Luti, the daughter of a baker and the artist's mistress.

Maria, descending from the clouds, carries an unusually serious baby in her arms. They are met by Pope Sixtus II (Sixtus II) and Saint Barbara. At the bottom of the painting are two angels, presumably leaning on a coffin lid. The angel on the left has one wing. The name Sixtus is translated from Latin as "six", the composition consists of six figures - the three main ones make up a triangle, the faces of angels in the form of clouds serve as a background for the composition. The canvas was created for the altar of the Basilica of St. Sixtus (Chiesa di San Sisto) in Piacenza (Piacenza) in 1513. Since 1754, the work has been exhibited in the Old Masters Gallery.

Madonna and Child

Another name for the painting, created in 1498, is “Madonna from the House of Santi” (“Madonna di Casa Santi”). It became the artist's first reference to the image of the Mother of God.

The fresco is kept in the house where the artist was born, on Via Raffaello in Urbino. Today the building is called the "House-Museum of Rafael Santi" ("Casa Natale di Raffaello"). The Madonna is shown in profile, she is reading a book placed on a stand. She has a sleeping baby in her arms. The mother's hands support and gently stroke the child. The poses of both figures are natural and relaxed, the mood is set by the contrast of dark and white tones.

Granduca Madonna (Madonna del Granduca) - the most mysterious work of Raphael, completed in 1505. Its preliminary sketch clearly indicates the presence of a landscape in the background. The drawing is stored in the Cabinet of Sketches and Studies in (Galleria degli Uffizi), in Florence (Firenze).

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An x-ray of the finished work confirms that a different background was originally present in the painting. The analysis of the paint indicates that the top layer of the painting was applied 100 years after its creation. Presumably, this could be done by the artist Carlo Dolci, the owner of the Granduk Madonna, who preferred the dark background of religious images. In 1800, Dolci sold the painting to Duke Francis III (François III) already in the form in which it has survived to this day. Madonna receives the name "Grand Duca" by the name of the same owner (Grand Duca - Grand Duke). The painting, measuring 84 cm by 56 cm, is exhibited in the Palatine Gallery (Galerie Palatine) of the Palazzo Pitti (Palazzo Pitti), in Florence.

For the first time, the resemblance of the Madonna Bridgewater with his wife Natalia Nikolaevna, A. S. Pushkin noticed in the summer of 1830, when he saw a copy of the painting created in 1507 in the window of a bookstore on Nevsky Prospekt. This is another mysterious work by Raphael, where the landscape in the background is painted over with black paint. She traveled the world for a long time, after which the Duke of Bridgewater became her owner.

Subsequently, the heirs kept the work for more than a hundred years at the Bridgewater estate in London (London). During World War II, the blond Madonna was moved to the National Gallery of Scotland in Edinburgh, where she is on display today.

Madonna Conestabile (Madonna Connestabile) - the finishing work of the maestro in Umbria, written in 1502. Prior to its acquisition by the Count of Conestabile della Staffa, she called herself Madonna with a Book (Madonna del Libro).

In 1871, Alexander II bought it from the count to give it to his wife. Today it is the only work by Raphael that belongs to Russia. It is exhibited in the St. Petersburg Hermitage.

The work is presented in a rich frame, created simultaneously with the canvas. When the painting was translated from wood to canvas in 1881, it was discovered that instead of a book, the Madonna first held a pomegranate with her - a sign of the blood of Christ. At the time of the creation of the Madonna, Raphael did not yet master the technique of softening line transitions - sfumato (sfumato), therefore he presented his talent with the undiluted influence of Leonardo da Vinci.

"Madonna d'Alba" created by Raphael in 1511 at the request of Bishop Paolo Giovio (Paolo Giovio) during the creative zenith of the artist. For a long time, until 1931, the painting belonged to the St. Petersburg Hermitage, was subsequently sold to Washington (Washington), USA and is now exhibited in the National Gallery of Art (National Gallery of Art).

The pose and folds of the clothes of the Mother of God are reminiscent of the sculptures of antiquity. The work is unusual in that its frame is a circle with a diameter of 945 mm. The name "Alba" Madonna got in the XVII century in memory of the Dukes of Alba (at one time the picture was in the palace of Seville (Sevilla), owned by the heirs of Olivares (Olivares)). In 1836, the Russian Emperor Nicholas I bought it for 14,000 pounds and ordered it to be transferred from wooden media to canvas. At the same time, part of the nature on the right was lost.

"Madonna della Seggiola" was created in 1514 and exhibited in the Palatine Gallery (Galerie Palatine) of the Palazzo Pitti (Palazzo Pitti). The Mother of God is dressed in elegant clothes of Italian women of the 16th century.

Madonna hugs and hugs her son tightly with both hands, as if feeling that he will have to experience. On the right, John the Baptist looks at them in the form of a little boy. All figures are drawn close-up and the background for the picture is no longer required. There is no strictness of geometric shapes and linear perspectives here, but there is boundless maternal love, expressed by the use of warm colors.

A large canvas by Raphael (1 m 22 cm by 80 cm) "The Beautiful Gardener" (La Belle Jardiniere), written in 1507, belongs to one of the most valuable exhibits of the Paris Louvre (Musée du Louvre).

Initially, the painting was called "The Holy Virgin in the Dress of a Peasant Woman" and only in 1720 art critic Pierre Mariette decided to give her a different name. Mary is depicted seated in a garden with Jesus and John the Baptist. The son stretches his hand to the book and looks into his mother's eyes. John holds a rod with a cross and looks at Christ. Haloes are barely visible above the heads of the characters. The turquoise sky with white clouds, the lake, flowering herbs and plump children around the kind and gentle Madonna give peace and tranquility.

Madonna with a goldfinch

The Madonna with a Goldfinch (Madonna del Cardellino) is recognized as one of the best creations of Raphael, written in 1506. Exhibited in the Uffizi Gallery (Galleria degli Uffizi) in Florence.

The painting was ordered by the artist's friend, the merchant Lorenzo Nazi (Lorenzo Nazi), he asked that the work be ready for his wedding. In 1548, the painting was almost lost when Mount San Giorgio (Monte San Giorgio) collapsed on the merchant's house and neighboring houses. However, the son of Lorenzo, Batista (Batista), collected all parts of the picture from the ruins and gave them for restoration to Ridolfo Ghirlandaio (Ridolfo del Ghirlandaio). He did everything possible to give the masterpiece its original appearance, but the traces of damage could not be completely hidden. The x-ray shows 17 separate elements connected with nails, new painting and four inserts on the left side.

Small Cowper Madonna (Piccola Madonna Cowper) was created in 1505 and named after Earl Cowper, in whose collection the work was for many years. In 1942 donated to the National Gallery of Art in Washington. The Holy Virgin, as in many other paintings by Raphael, is represented in red robes, symbolizing the blood of Christ. On top, as a symbol of innocence, a blue cape is added. Although no one in Italy walked like this, Raphael portrayed the Mother of God in just such clothes. The main plan is occupied by Maria resting on the bench. With her left hand she embraces the smiling Christ. Behind you can see the church, reminiscent of the temple of San Bernardino (Chiesa di San Bernardino) in Urbino, the homeland of the author of the picture.

portraits

There are not many portraits in Raphael's collection; he passed away early. Among them are the early works made in the Florentine period and the works of the mature period, created during his residence in Rome from 1508 to 1520. The artist draws a lot from life, always clearly marking the contour, achieving the most accurate correspondence of the image to the original. The authorship of many works is questioned, among other possible authors are indicated: Pietro Perugino, Francesco Francia (Francesco Francia), Lorenzo di Credi (Lorenzo di Credi).

Portraits created before moving to Florence

An oil painting on wood (45 cm by 31 cm), made in 1502, is exhibited in (Galleria Borghese).

Until the 19th century the authorship of the portrait was attributed to Perugino, but recent research indicates that the masterpiece belongs to the brush of the early Raphael. Perhaps this is an image of one of the dukes, the artist's contemporaries. Flowing curls of hair and the absence of facial defects somewhat idealize the image, this did not correspond to the realism of the artists of northern Italy of that time.

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Portrait of Elizabeth Gonzaga (Elisabetta Gonzaga), 1503 creation size 52 cm by 37 cm exhibited in the Uffizi Gallery.

Elizabeth was the sister of Francesco II Gonzaga and the wife of Guidobaldo da Montefeltro. The woman's forehead is adorned with a scorpion pendant, her hairstyle and clothes are depicted in the fashion of the author's contemporaries.. According to the assumption of art historians, the portraits of Gonzaga and Montefeltro were partially executed by Giovanni Santi. Elizabeth was dear to Raphael because she was engaged in his upbringing when he was left an orphan.

Portrait of Pietro Bembo (Pietro Bembo) - one of the first works of Raphael in 1504, represents the young Pietro Bembo, who became a cardinal, almost a double of the artist.

In the image, the young man's long hair falls softly from under the red cap. Hands are folded on the parapet, a piece of paper is clamped in the right palm. Rafael first met Bembo in the castle of the Duke of Urbino. The portrait in oil on wood (54 cm by 39 cm) is exhibited at the Museum of Fine Arts (Szépművészeti Múzeum) in Budapest (Budapest), Hungary.

Florentine period portraits

Portrait of a pregnant woman Donna Gravida (La donna gravida) was made in 1506 in oil on canvas measuring 77 cm by 111 cm and is kept in the Palazzo Pitti.

At the time of Raphael, it was not customary to portray women bearing a child, but the portrait painter painted images close to his soul without regard to dogma. The theme of motherhood, passing through all the Madonnas, was also reflected in the images of worldly inhabitants. Art historians believe that it could be a woman of the Bufalini family Chita di Castello (Bufalini Città di Castello) or Emilia Pia da Montefeltro (Emilia Pia da Montefeltro). A fashionable outfit, jewelry on the hair, rings with precious stones on the fingers and a chain around the neck indicate belonging to a wealthy class.

Portrait of a lady with a unicorn (Dama col liocorno) in oil on wood 65 cm by 61 cm, painted in 1506, exhibited in the Borghese Gallery.

Presumably, Giulia Farnese, the secret love of Pope Alexander VI (Alexander PP. VI), posed for the image. The work is interesting because during numerous restorations the image of the lady was changed many times. On the X-ray, instead of a unicorn, the silhouette of a dog is seen through. Perhaps the work on the portrait went through several stages. Raphael could be the author of the torso of the figure, the landscape and the sky. Giovanni Sogliani could finish the columns on the sides of the loggia, arms with sleeves and a dog. Another later coat of paint increases the volume of the hair, changes the sleeves and finishes the dog. After a few decades, the dog becomes a unicorn, rewritten hands. In the 17th century, the lady becomes Saint Catherine in a cloak.

self-portrait

Self-portrait (Autoritratto) measuring 47.5 cm by 33 cm, executed in 1506, is stored in the Uffizi Gallery, Florence.

The work belonged to Cardinal Leopold Medici for a long time (Leopoldus Medices), since 1682 it was included in the collection of the Uffizi Gallery. The mirror image of the portrait was painted by Raphael on the fresco "The School of Athens" ("Scuola di Atene") in the main hall of the Vatican Palace (Apostolic Palace (Palazzo Apostolico)). The artist depicted himself in a modest black robe, decorating it with only a small strip of a white collar.

Portrait of Agnolo Doni, Portrait of Maddalena Doni

Portrait of Agnolo Doni and Portrait of Maddalena Doni (Portrait of Agnolo Doni, Portrait of Maddalena Doni) were painted in oil on wood in 1506 and perfectly complement each other.

Agnolo Doni was a wealthy wool merchant and had himself and his young wife (nee Strozzi) painted immediately after their marriage. The image of the girl was created in the likeness of "Mona Lisa" ("Mona Lisa") (Leonardo da Vinci): the same turn of the body, the same position of the hands. Careful drawing of the details of clothing and jewelry indicate the wealth of the couple.

Rubies symbolize prosperity, sapphires - purity, a pearl pendant around Maddalena's neck - virginity. Previously, both works were connected together by hinges. Since the mid 20s. 19th century the descendants of the Doni family pass on the portraits.

The Mute (La Muta) oil painting on canvas measuring 64 cm by 48 cm was made in 1507 and exhibited at the National Gallery of the Marche (Galleria nazionale delle Marche) in Urbino.

The prototype of the image is considered to be Elisabetta Gonzaga, wife of Duke Guidobaldo da Montefeltro. According to another version, it could be the sister of the Duke Giovanna (Giovanna). Until 1631 the portrait was in Urbino, later it was moved to Florence. In 1927, the work was again returned to the artist's homeland. In 1975, the painting was stolen from the gallery, a year later it was found in Switzerland.

Portrait of a young man (Portrait of a Young Man) in oil on wood (35 cm by 47 cm), written in 1505, exhibited in Florence, in the Uffizi.

The pictured Francesco Maria della Rovere was the son of Giovanni Della Rovere and Juliana Feltria. The uncle appointed the young man in 1504 as his heir and immediately commissioned this portrait. A young man in a red robe is presented in the modest nature of the north of Italy.

Portrait of Guidobaldo da Montefeltro (Ritratto di Guidobaldo da Montefeltro) in oil on wood (69 cm by 52 cm) was executed in 1506. The work was kept in the castle of the Dukes of Urbino (Palazzo Ducale), after which it was transported to the city of Pesaro (Pesaro).

In 1631, the painting was included in the collection of the wife of Ferdinando II Medici (Ferdinando II de Medici), Victoria della Rovere (Vittoria della Rovere). Montefeltro in a black robe is placed in the center of the composition, which is framed by the dark walls of the room. On the right is an open window with nature behind it. The immobility and austerity of the image did not allow for a long time to recognize Raphael as the author of the painting.

Raphael's Stations in the Vatican

In 1508 the artist moved to Rome, where he remained until his death. Architect Domato Bramante (Donato Bramante) helped him become an artist at the papal court. Pope Julius II gives his protégé for painting the front rooms (stanzas) of the old Vatican Palace, later called (Stanze di Raffaello). Seeing the first work of Raphael, the pope ordered to put his drawings on all planes, removing the frescoes of the other authors and leaving only the plafonds intact.

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The literal translation of "Stanza della Segnatura" sounds like "signature room", it was the only one not renamed after the frescoes.

Rafael worked on its painting from 1508 to 1511. In the room, the monarchs signed important papers and there was a library right there. This is the 1st station out of 4 that Rafael worked on.

Fresco "School of Athens"

The second name of "Scuola di Atene", the best of the created frescoes, is "Philosophical Conversations" ("Discussioni filosofiche"). The main theme - the dispute between Aristotle (Aristotels) and Plato ((Platon), written with Leonardo da Vinci) under the vaults of a fantastic temple, is intended to reflect philosophical activity. The base length is 7 m 70 cm, more than 50 characters are placed in the composition, among which Heraclitus ((Heraclitus), written with), Ptolemy ((Ptolemaeus), self-portrait of Raphael), Socrates (Sokrates), Diogenes (Diogen), Pythagoras (Pythagoras), Euclid ((Evklid), written with Bramante), Zoroaster ( Zoroastr) and other philosophers and thinkers.

Fresco "Disputation", or "Dispute about Holy Communion"

The size of the “Dispute about Holy Communion” (“La disputa del sacramento”), symbolizing theology, is 5 m by 7 m 70 cm.

On the fresco, the heavenly inhabitants are having a theological debate with earthly mortals (Fra Beato Angelico, Augustine the Blessed (Augustinus Hipponensis), (Dante Alighieri), Savonarola (Savonarola) and others). A clear symmetry in the work does not depress, on the contrary, thanks to the Raphael gift of organization, it seems natural and harmonious. The leading figure of the composition is a semicircle.

Fresco "Wisdom. Moderation. Force"

Fresco "Wisdom. Moderation. Strength” (“La saggezza. La moderazione. Forza”) is placed on a wall cut through by a window. Another name for a work glorifying secular and ecclesiastical legislation is Jurisprudence (Giurisprudenza).

Under the figure of Jurisprudence on the ceiling, on the wall above the window, there are three figures: Wisdom looking into the mirror, Strength in a helmet and Temperance with reins in hand. To the left side of the window is the emperor Justinian (Iustinianus) and Tribonianus kneeling in front of him. To the right side of the window is an image of Pope Gregory VII (Gregorius PP. VII), presenting the decrees of the popes to a lawyer.

Fresco "Parnassus"

The fresco "Parnassus" ("he Parnassus") or "Apollo and the Muses" ("Apollo and the Muses") is located on the wall opposite the "Wisdom. Temperance. Forces” and depicts ancient and modern poets. In the middle of the image is the ancient Greek Apollo with a hand-held lyre, surrounded by nine muses. On the right are: Homer (Homer), Dante (Dante), Anacreon (Anakreon), Virgil (Vergilius), on the right - Ariosto (Ariosto), Horace (Horatius), Terence (Terentius), Ovid (Ovidius).

The theme for the painting of Stanza di Eliodoro is the intercession of higher powers for the Church. Hall, work on which has been going on since 1511. to 1514, was named after one of the four frescoes painted by Raphael on the wall. The best student of the master, Giulio Romano, helped the teacher in his work.

Fresco "The Expulsion of Eliodor from the Temple"

The fresco "Cacciata di Eliodoro dal tempio" depicts a legend according to which the faithful servant of the royal Seleukid dynasty (Seleukid), the military leader Eliodor was sent to Jerusalem (Jerusalem) to take away the treasury of widows and orphans from Solomon's temple.

When he entered the hall of the temple, he saw a rushing angry horse with an angel rider. The horse began to trample Eliodor's hooves, and the rider's companions, also angels, hit the robber several times with a whip. Pope Julius II is represented in the fresco by an outside observer.

Fresco "Mass in Bolsena"

Over the fresco "Mass in Bolsena" Rafael Santi worked alone, without involving assistants. The plot depicts a miracle that happened in the temple of Bolsena. The German priest was about to begin the rite of communion, in the depths of his soul not believing in its truth. Then 5 streams of blood flowed from the wafer (cake) in his hands (2 of them are a symbol of the broken hands of Christ, 2 - of the feet, 1 - blood from the wound of the broken side). The composition contains notes of a collision with German heretics of the 16th century.

Fresco "Bringing the Apostle Peter out of prison"

The fresco "The Exposition of the Apostle Peter from the Dungeon" ("la Delivrance de Saint Pierre") is also the work of Raphael. The plot is taken from the Acts of the Apostles, the image is divided into 3 parts. In the center of the composition is depicted the radiant apostle Peter, imprisoned in a gloomy cell of a dungeon. On the right, Peter and the angel come out of prison while the guards are sleeping. On the left, the third action, when the guard wakes up, discovers the loss and raises the alarm.

Fresco "Meeting of Leo I the Great with Attila"

A significant part of the work "The Meeting between Leo the Great and Attila", more than 8 m wide, was made by Raphael's students.

Leo the Great has the appearance of Pope Leo X. According to legend, when the leader of the Huns approached the walls of Rome, Leo the Great went to meet him along with other members of the delegation. With his eloquence, he convinced the invaders to abandon their intentions to attack the city and leave. According to legend, Attila saw a priest behind Leo, threatening him with a sword. It could have been the apostle Peter (or Paul).

The Stanza dell'Incendio di Borgo is the finishing hall that Raphael worked on from 1514 to 1517.

The room was named after the main and best fresco by Rafael Santi "Fire in the Borgo" by the maestro. His students worked on the rest of the paintings according to the given drawings.

Fresco "Fire in Borgo"

In 847, in the Roman quarter of Borgo, adjacent to the Vatican Palace, flames engulfed. It grew until Leo IV (Leo PP. IV) appeared from the Vatican Palace and ended the disaster with the sign of the cross. In the background is the old facade of St. Peter's Basilica. On the left, the most successful group: an athletic young man carries his old father on his shoulders out of the fire. Nearby, another young man is trying to climb the wall (presumably, the artist painted himself).

Stanza Constantine

Raphael Santi received an order to paint the "Hall of Constantine" ("Sala di Costantino") in 1517, but managed to make only sketches of drawings. The sudden death of a brilliant creator prevented him from finishing the work. All frescoes were performed by Raphael's students: Giulio Romano, Gianfrancesco Penni, Raffaellino del Colle, Perino del Vaga.

1. Giovanni Santi insisted that the mother feed the newborn Raphael herself, without resorting to the help of a wet nurse.
2. Approximately four hundred drawings of the maestro have survived to this day., among which there are sketches and images of lost paintings.
3. The amazing kindness and spiritual generosity of the artist was manifested not only in relation to close people. Raphael all his life took care of like a son about one poor scholar, the translator of Hippocrates into Latin, Rabio Calve. The learned man was as holy as he was learned, so he did not amass a fortune and lived modestly.
4. In the monastic records, Margarita Luti was designated as "the widow of Raphael." In addition, while examining the layers of paint on the Fornarina painting, the restorers found a ruby ​​ring under them, possibly an engagement ring. The pearl decoration in the hair of "Fornarina" and "Donna Velata" also indicates marriage.
5. A painful bluish spot on Fornarina's chest suggests that the woman had breast cancer.
6. In 2020, it will be 500 years since the death of the brilliant artist. In 2016, for the first time in Russia, an exhibition of Rafael Santi was held in Moscow, at the Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts. In an exhibition called "Raphael. The Poetry of the Image” featured 8 paintings and 3 graphic drawings collected from various museums in Italy.
7. Rafael (aka Raf) is familiar to children as one of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles in the cartoon of the same name, who wields a piercing bladed weapon - a sai that looks like a trident.

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