Raffaello Santi (Raffaello Santi) - Italian artist, master of graphics and architectural solutions, a representative of the Umbrian painting school of the Renaissance.
Biography
Rafael Santi was born at three in the morning in the family of the artist and decorator on April 6, 1483 in the Italian city of Urbino. It is the cultural and historical center of the Marche region in eastern Italy. Near the birthplace of Raphael are the resort towns of Pesaro and Rimini.
Parents
The father of the future celebrity, Giovanni Santi (Giovanni Santi) worked in the castle of the Urban Duke Federico da Montefeltro (Federico da Montefeltro), mother Margie Charla (Margie Charla) was engaged in housekeeping.
The father early noticed his son's ability to paint and often took him with him to the palace, where the boy talked with such famous artists as Piero della Francesca, Paolo Uccello and Luca Signorelli.
School in Perugia
At the age of 8, Rafael lost his mother and his father brought his new wife Bernardina into the house, who did not show love for someone else's child. At the age of 12, the boy remained an orphanlosing and father. The trustees sent the young talent to study with Pietro Vannucci in Perugia.
Until 1504, Rafael was educated at the school of Perugino, enthusiastically studying the mastery of the teacher and trying to imitate him in everything. A friendly, charming, deprived of arrogance young man everywhere found friends and quickly adopted the experience of teachers. Soon his works became impossible to distinguish from the works of Pietro Perugino (Pietro Perugino).
Raphael's first famous masterpieces were paintings:
- The Betrothal of the Virgin Mary (Lo sposalizio della Vergine), 1504, on display at the Pinacoteca di Brera Gallery in Milan;
- Madonna Connestabile, 1504, owned by the Hermitage (St. Petersburg);
- “The Knight's Dream” (Sogno del cavaliere), 1504, painting exhibited at the National Gallery in London;
- The Three Graces (Tre Grazie), 1504, exhibited at the Musée Condé in Château de Chantilly, France;
The influence of Perugino is clearly visible in the works; Rafael began to create his own style a little later.
In Florence
In 1504, Rafael Santi moved to Florence (Firenze), following his teacher Perugino. Thanks to the teacher, the young man met with 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” by Leonardo da Vinci, owned by Rafael (unique in that the original itself was not preserved), has been preserved to this day.
Under the influence of new teachers, Rafael Santi, during his stay in Florence, creates more than 20 Madonnas, investing in them his longing for love and affection received from his mother. Images breathe love, tender and sophisticated.
In 1507, the artist takes an order from Atalanta Baglióni, whose only son died. Rafael Santi creates the painting "Position in the Tomb" (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 the day, the artist was engaged in stanzas, having put all his skill, all talent and all knowledge into the work.
When the architect Donato Bramante died, Pope Leo X (Leo PP. X), in the world - Giovanni Medici, from 1514 appoints Raphael the lead architect of the construction of the Basilica Sancti Petri, in 1515 Mr. he also becomes the custodian of values. The young man took responsibility for the census and preservation of the monuments of ancient Rome. For the Temple of St. Peter, Raphael drew up another plan and completed the construction of a courtyard with loggias.
Other architectural works by Raphael:
- Church of Sant'Eligio degli Orefici (Chiesa Sant'Eligio degli Orefici), erected on the street of the same name in Rome, the construction began in 1509.
- The La Cappella Chigi Chapel of the Church of Santa Maria del Popolo, located on the Piazza del Popolo. The construction began in 1513, completed by Giovanni Bernini in 1656.
- Palazzo Vidoni-Caffarelli in Rome, located at the intersection of Piazza Vidoni and Corso Vittorio Emanuele. Construction began in 1515.
- Now the ruined palace of Branconio del Aquila (Palazzo Branconio dell'Aquila), was located in front of St. Peter's Basilica. Construction was completed in 1520.
- Palazzo Pandolfini Palace in Florence on Via San Gallo was erected by architect Giuliano da Sangallo according to Raphael's designs.
Pope Leo X was afraid that the French might lure a talented artist to him, so he tried to give him as much work as possible, without stinting gifts or praise. In Rome, Rafael Santi continues to write Madonna, without departing from her beloved themes of motherhood.
Personal life
The paintings of 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 the financial means.
During the reign of Leo X, he acquired a luxurious house in the antique style, built on his own project. However, multiple attempts to marry a young man from his patrons did not lead to anything. Rafael was a big fan of female beauty. On the initiative of Cardinal Bibbiena, the artist was engaged to his niece Maria Dovizi da Bibbiena, but the wedding did not take place, the maestro did not want to tie the knot. The name of one of Raphael’s famous lovers is Beatrice from Ferrara, but most likely she was an ordinary Roman courtesan.
The only woman who managed to win the heart of a wealthy womanizer was Margherita Luti, the baker’s daughter, nicknamed Fornarina.
The artist met a girl in the Chigi garden when he was looking for an image for Cupid and Psyche. Thirty-year-old Rafael Santi painted Villa Farnesina in the Trastevere district of Rome, owned by his wealthy patron, and the beauty of a seventeen-year-old girl perfectly suited this image.
- We advise you to visit the tour: dive in trastevere
The girl’s father for 50 gold allowed her daughter to pose for the artist, and later for 3000 gold he allowed Rafael to take her with him. For six years, young people lived together, Margarita did not cease to inspire her admirer for new masterpieces, including:
- “Sistine Madonna” (“Madonna Sistina”), Gallery of Old Masters (Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister), Dresden, Germany, 1514;
- “Donna Velata” (La Velata), Palatine Gallery (Galerie Palatine), Palazzo Pitti (Palazzo Pitti), Florence, 1515;
- “Fornarina” (La Fornarina), Palazzo Barberini (Palazzo Barberini), Rome, 1519;
After the death of Raphael, young Margarita received life support 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, tired of nocturnal adventures, returned home in a weakened state. Doctors had to support his strength, but they did bloodletting, which killed the patient. According to another version, Raphael caught a cold during excavations in underground funeral galleries.
April 6, 1520 the maesto died. He was buried in the Pantheon with proper honors. The grave of Raphael can be seen during an individual tour of the sights of Rome at dawn.
Madonnas
Imitating your teacher Pietro Perugino, Raphael painted a gallery of forty-two paintings of the Virgin 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 the canvases, reinforcing and idealizing the woman anxiously protecting the baby angel.
The first Madonna of Rafael Santi created in the style of quattrocento (quattrocento), common during the early Renaissance in the XV century. The images are shackled, dry, human figures are presented strictly frontally, the look is motionless, calm and solemn abstraction on the faces.
The Florentine period brings feelings to the images of the Mother of God, anxiety and pride for her child are manifested. Complicated landscapes in the background, the interaction of the depicted characters is manifested.
In later Roman works, the origin of the baroque (barocco) is guessed feelings become more complex, poses and gestures are far from renaissance harmony, the proportions of the figures stretch out, a predominance of gloomy tones is observed.
Below are the most famous paintings and their descriptions:
Sistine Madonna
The Sistine Madonna (Madonna Sistina) is the most famous of all the images of the Mother of God measuring 2 m 65 cm by 1 m 96 cm. The image of the Madonna is taken from the 17-year-old Margherita Luti, the daughter of the baker and mistress of the artist.
Maria, descending from the clouds, carries on her hands an unusually serious baby. They are met by Pope Sixtus II (Sixtus II) and St. Barbara. At the bottom of the picture are two angels, supposedly leaning on a coffin lid. The angel has one wing on the left. The name Sixtus is translated from Latin as “six”, the composition consists of six figures - the three main ones make up a triangle, the background for the composition is the faces of angels in the form of clouds. 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 is exhibited in the Gallery of Old Masters.
Madonna and Child
Another name for the painting, created in 1498, is “Madonna from the House of Santi” (“Madonna di Casa Santi”). She became the artist’s first appeal to the image of the Mother of God.
The mural is stored in the house where the artist was born, on Rafael Street (via Raffaello) in Urbino. Today the building is called the "Casa-Museum of Rafael Santi" ("Casa Natale di Raffaello"). Madonna is depicted in profile, she is reading a book mounted on a stand. In her arms is a sleeping baby. Mother's hands support and gently stroke the baby. The poses of both figures are natural and laid-back, the mood sets the contrast of dark and white tones.
Madonna Granduka
Madonna del Granduca - the most mysterious work of Raphael, completed in 1505. Her preliminary sketch clearly indicates the presence of the landscape in the background. The drawing is stored in the Cabinet of Sketches and Studies in the Uffizi Gallery (Galleria degli Uffizi), in Florence (Firenze).
- We recommend visiting: Private tour in Uffizi with a licensed art guide
An x-ray of the finished work confirms that the background was initially different in the picture. The analysis of the paint indicates that the top layer is applied to the painting 100 years after its creation. Presumably, this could be done by the artist Carlo Dolci, the owner of the Madonna Granduka, who preferred a dark background of religious images. In 1800, Dolci sells the painting to Duke Francis III (François III) already in the form in which it has survived to our time. The name "Granduka" Madonna gets the name of the same owner (Grand Duca - Grand Duke). A 84 cm by 56 cm painting is exhibited at the Galerie Palatine Gallery of the Palazzo Pitti in Florence.
Madonna Bridgewater
For the first time, the similarity of Madonna Bridgewater (Madonna Bridgewater) with his wife Natalia Nikolaevna A.S. Pushkin noticed in the summer of 1830.seeing a copy of the picture created in 1507 in the window of a bookstore on Nevsky Prospect. This is another mysterious work by Raphael, where the landscape in the background is painted in black. She traveled the world for a long time, after which the Duke of Bridgewater (Duke of Bridgewater) became its owner.
Subsequently, the heirs for more than a hundred years kept work at the Bridgewater estate in London (London). During World War II, blonde Madonna was transferred to the National Gallery of Scotland in Edinburgh, where she is on display today.
Madonna Conestabile
Madonna Connestabile (Madonna Connestabile) - finishing work of the maestro in Umbria, written in 1502. Before it was acquired by Count Conestabile della Staffa, she was called Madonna and Book (Madonna del Libro).
In 1871, Alexander II bought it from the count to give it to his wife. Today this is the only work of Raphael, which belongs to Russia. She is exhibited in the St. Petersburg Hermitage.
The work is presented in a rich frame created simultaneously with the canvas. When translating a painting from a tree to a canvas in 1881, it was discovered that instead of the book, the Madonna first carried a pomegranate - a sign of the blood of Christ. During the creation of the Madonna, Rafael did not yet possess the technique of softening the transitions of lines - sfumato (sfumato), so he presented his talent not diluted influence of Leonardo da Vinci.
Madonna Alba
“Madonna d'Alba” was created by Raphael in 1511 at the request of Bishop Paolo Giovio during the creative zenith of the artist. For a long time, until 1931, the canvas belonged to the St. Petersburg Hermitage, was subsequently sold to Washington (Washington), USA and today is exhibited at the National Gallery of Art.
The pose and folds of the clothes of Our Lady resemble 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 the transfer from a wooden medium to canvas. At the same time, part of nature on the right was lost.
Madonna in a chair
"Madonna della Seggiola" was created in 1514 and is exhibited in the gallery of the Palatino Pitti (Galerie Palatine). Our Lady is dressed in elegant clothes of women of Italy of the XVI century.
Madonna hugs and holds her son tightly with both hands, as if feeling that he will have to experience. To their right, John the Baptist looks in the form of a little boy. All figures are drawn in close-up and the background for the picture is no longer required. There is no rigor of geometric shapes and linear perspectives, but there is endless maternal love expressed through the use of warm colors.
Lovely gardener
Raphael’s large canvas (1 m 22 cm by 80 cm) of The Beautiful Gardener (La Belle Jardiniere), painted 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, the art critic Pierre Mariette decided to give her another name. Mary is depicted sitting in the garden with Jesus and John the Baptist. The son reaches for the book and looks into the eyes of his mother. John holds a rod with a cross and looks at Christ. Above the heads of the characters, nimbuses are barely visible. Peace and tranquility gives a turquoise sky with white clouds, a lake, flowering herbs and chubby children near the kind and gentle Madonna.
Carpet Madonna
Madonna del Cardellino (Madonna del Cardellino) is recognized as one of the best works of Raphael, painted in 1506. Exhibited in the Uffizi Gallery (Galleria degli Uffizi) in Florence.
The customer of the picture was a friend of the artist, the merchant Lorenzo Nazi (Lorenzo Nazi), he asked that the work was ready for his wedding. In 1548, the picture 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 under 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 by nails, a new painting and four inserts on the left side.
The Little Madonna of Cowper
The small Madonna Cowper (Piccola Madonna Cowper) was created in 1505 and named after Earl Cowper (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 presented in red robes, symbolizing the blood of Christ. Above, as a symbol of innocence, a blue cloak has been added. Although no one in Italy went like this, Raphael portrayed the Virgin in precisely such clothes. The main plan is Maria resting on a 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, in the home of the author of the picture.
Portraits
In the collection of Raphael there are not very many portraits; he died early. Among them are early works made in the Florentine period and works of a mature age created during his stay in Rome from 1508 to 1520. The artist draws a lot from nature, always clearly indicating the outline, achieving the most accurate image matching 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
Portrait of a man
Oil painting on wood (45 cm by 31 cm), executed in 1502, is exhibited in the Roman Gallery of Borghese (Galleria Borghese).
Until the 19th century the authorship of the portrait was attributed to Perugino, but recent studies indicate the belonging of a masterpiece by early Raphael. Perhaps this is an image of one of the dukes, contemporaries of the artist. 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 at that time.
- Recommended: excursion to the Borghese Gallery
Portrait of Elizabeth Gonzaga
Portrait of Elizabeth Gonzaga (Elisabetta Gonzaga), 1503 year of creation, measuring 52 cm by 37 cm, is exhibited in the Uffizi Gallery.
Elizabeth was the sister of Francesco II Gonzaga and wife of Guidobaldo Montefeltro. A woman's forehead is decorated with a pendant scorpion, hairstyle, clothes are depicted in the fashion of contemporaries of the author. According to the critics, the portraits of Gonzaga and Montefeltro were partially made by Giovanni Santi. Elizabeth was dear to Raphael because she was engaged in his upbringing when he remained an orphan.
Portrait Pietro Bembo
Portret 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 artist.
In the image, the young man’s long hair gently falls 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 Urban Duke. Oil painting on wood (54 cm by 39 cm) is exhibited at the Museum of Fine Arts (Szépművészeti Múzeum) in Budapest, Hungary.
Portraits of the Florentine period
Donna Gravida
The portrait of a pregnant woman Donna Gravida (La donna gravida) was executed in 1506 with oil on canvas measuring 77 cm by 111 cm and is stored in the Palazzo Pitti.
At the time of Raphael, women bearing a child were not accepted to portray, 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 this could be a woman of the Bufalini family Chita di Castello (Bufalini Città di Castello) or Emilia Pia da Montefeltro (Emilia Pia da Montefeltro). Belonging to a wealthy class is indicated by a fashionable outfit, jewelry on the hair, rings with precious stones on the fingers and a chain on the neck.
Portrait of a Lady with a Unicorn
Portrait of a lady with a unicorn (Dama col liocorno) oil on wood 65 cm by 61 cm, painted in 1506, is exhibited in the Borghese Gallery.
Presumably, Julia 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 repeatedly changed. On the x-ray, instead of a unicorn, the silhouette of a dog is visible. Perhaps the work on the portrait went through several stages. Raphael could be the author of a torso of a figure, landscape and 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 hairstyle, changes the sleeves and completes the dog. After several decades, the dog becomes a unicornare texting hands. In the 17th century, the lady becomes St. 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 for a long time belonged to Cardinal Leopold Medici (Leopoldus Medices), from 1682 was included in the collection of the Uffizi Gallery. The mirror image of the portrait was painted by Raphael on the fresco "Athenian school" ("Scuola di Atene") in the main hall of the Vatican Palace (Apostolic Palace (Palazzo Apostolico)). The artist portrayed himself in a modest black robe, decorating it with only a small strip of white collar.
Portrait of Agnolo Doni, Portrait of Maddalena Doni
The portrait of Agnolo Doni and the portrait of Maddalena Doni (Portrait of Agnolo Doni, Portrait of Maddalena Doni) were painted with oil on wood in 1506 and perfectly complement each other.
Agnolo Doni was a wealthy wool merchant and ordered to write himself and his young wife (nee Strozzi) immediately after their wedding. The image of the girl was created in the image of “Mona Lisa” (“Mona Lisa”) by Leonardo da Vinci: the same rotation of the body, the same position of the hands. Careful drawing of details of clothes and jewelry indicate the wealth of the couple.
Rubies symbolize prosperity, sapphires - purity, pearl pendant on Maddalena's neck - virginity. Previously, both works were joined together by hinges. Since the mid-20s. XIX century descendants of the Doni family pass portraits of the Palazzo Pitti.
Mute
La Muta oil painting on canvas measuring 64 cm by 48 cm was made in 1507 and exhibited at the National Gallery of Marche (Galleria nazionale delle Marche) in Urbino.
Elisabetta Gonzaga, wife of the Duke of Guidobaldo da Montefeltro, is considered to be the original image. According to another version, it could be the sister of the Duke Giovanna (Giovanna). Until 1631, the portrait was in Urbino, later it was transferred 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 discovered in Switzerland.
Portrait of a young man
Portrait of a young man (Portrait of a Young Man) oil on wood (35 cm by 47 cm), painted in 1505, exhibited in Florence, in the Uffizi.
Represented in the image, Francesco Maria della Rovere was the son of Giovanni della Rovere and Giulianna Feltria. Uncle appointed the young man in 1504 as his heir and immediately ordered this portrait. A young man in red attire is represented in the humble nature of northern Italy.
Portrait of Guidobaldo da Montefeltro
The portrait of Guidobaldo da Montefeltro (Ritratto di Guidobaldo da Montefeltro) with oil on wood (69 cm by 52 cm) was executed in 1506. The work was stored in the castle of the Dukes of Urbina (Palazzo Ducale), after which it was transferred to the city of Pesaro.
In 1631, the painting entered the collection of Ferdinando II de Medici's wife, 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 stillness and asceticism of the image for a long time did not allow him to recognize Raphael's paintings as the author.
Raphael's stanza in the Vatican
In 1508, the artist moved to Rome, where he remained until his death. Architect Domato Bramante helped him become an artist at the papal court. Pope Julius II gives his protégé mural the formal halls (stanzas) of the Vatican's old palace, later called the stations of Rafael (Stanze di Raffaello). Seeing the first work of Raphael, Papa ordered his drawings to be applied to all planes, removing the murals of the remaining authors and leaving only the ceiling intact.
- Must visit: excursion to the Vatican Museums
Stanza della Senyatura
The literal translation of "Stanza della Segnatura" sounds like a "signature room", its only one has not been renamed on the theme of executed frescoes.
Rafael worked on her painting from 1508 to 1511. In the room the monarchs put signatures on important papers and there was a library right there. This is the 1st station out of 4 that Rafael worked on.
Fresco Athens School
The second name, Scuola di Atene, the best of the frescoes created, is Philosophical Conversations (Discussioni filosofiche). The main theme is the argument of Aristotle (Aristotels) with Plato ((Platon), written with Leonardo da Vinci) under the arches of a fantastic temple, designed to reflect philosophical activity. The length at the base is 7 m 70 cm, more than 50 characters are placed in the composition, among which Heraclitus ((Heraclitus), written with Michelangelo), Ptolemy ((Ptolemaeus), self-portrait of Raphael), Socrates (Sokrates), Diogenes (Diogen), Pythagoras (Pythagoras), Euclid ((Evklid), written with Bramantera), (Zoroastr) and other philosophers and thinkers.
The fresco of the Dispute, or The Controversy of 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 a fresco, celestial residents are engaged in a theological dispute with earthly mortals (Fra Beato Angelico, Augustinus Hipponensis, Dante Alighieri, Savonarola and others). Clear symmetry in the work does not oppress, 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. Strength"
Fresco "Wisdom. Moderation. Strength ”(“ La saggezza. La moderazione. Forza ”) is placed on a wall cut through by a window. Another name for the work glorifying secular and church legislation is Jurisprudence (Giurisprudenza).
Under the Jurisprudence figure on the ceiling, on the wall above the window, there are three figures: Wisdom looking in the mirror, Strength in a helmet and Moderation with reins in hand. To the left of the window is the emperor Justinian (Iustinianus) and Tribonianus kneeling before him. On the right side of the window is an image of Pope Gregory VII (Gregorius PP. VII) delivering roman popes' orders 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. Moderation. Forces ”and depicts ancient and modern poets. In the middle of the image is an ancient Greek Apollo with a handmade 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), Ovidius (Ovidius).
Eliodoro Station
The theme for the painting of the Station di Eliodoro is the intercession of higher powers for the Church. The hall, work on which has been going on since 1511. by 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 a loyal servant of the royal Seleukid dynasty (Seleukid) commander Eliodor was sent to Jerusalem (Jerusalem) to pick up the treasury of widows and orphans from the temple of Solomon.
When he entered the temple hall, he saw a racing, furious horse with a rider angel. The horse began to trample Eliodor's hooves, and the rider's companions, also angels, several times hit the robber with a whip. Pope Julius II is represented on the fresco by an outside observer.
Fresco "Mass in Bolsena"
Rafael Santi worked alone on the fresco "Mass at Bolsena" without attracting assistants. The plot depicts a miracle that happened in the Bolsen Temple. The German priest was about to begin the rite of communion, deep down not believing in its truth. Then 5 streams of blood flowed from his wafer (cakes) in his hands (2 of them are the symbol of the broken hands of Christ, 2 of the feet, 1 is blood from the wound of the broken side). The composition contains notes of a clash with German heretics of the 16th century.
Fresco "Exile of the Apostle Peter from the Dungeon"
The fresco “Exile of the Apostle Peter from Prison” (“la Delivrance de Saint Pierre”) is also a work entirely 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 the gloomy chamber of the dungeon. To the right, Peter and the angel come out of captivity while the guards are sleeping. On the left is the third action, when the guard wakes up, detects the loss and raises an alarm.
Fresco “The Meeting of Leo I the Great and Attila”
Much of The Meeting between Leo the Great and Attila, over 8 meters wide, was done 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. By his eloquence, he convinced the invaders to abandon their intentions to attack the city and leave. According to legend, Attila saw a clergyman threatening him with a sword behind Leo. It could be the apostle Peter (or Paul).
Stanza del Incincio di Borgo 1514-1517
Stanza dell'Incendio di Borgo is the finishing hall Rafael worked on from 1514 to 1517.
The room was named in honor of the main and best fresco of Rafael Santi “Fire in the Borgo” (“Fire in the Borgo”) by the maestro. Over the remaining paintings, his students worked on given drawings.
Fresco "Fire in Borgo"
In 847, in the Roman quarter of Borgo, adjacent to the Vatican Palace, a flame engulfed. It grew until Leo IV (Leo PP. IV) appeared from the Vatican Palace and stopped the calamity. In the background is the old facade of St. Peter's Basilica. On the left is the most successful group: an athletic young man carries an 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
Rafael Santi received an order for the painting of the “Hall of Constantine” (“Sala di Costantino”) in 1517, but managed to make only sketches of the drawings. The sudden death of a brilliant creator prevented him from completing the work. All the frescoes were painted by Raphael's students: Giulio Romano, Gianfrancesco Penni, Raffaellino del Colle, Perino del Vaga.
Interesting Facts
- Giovanni Santi insisted that the mother feed her newborn Raphael herself, without resorting to the help of a nurse.
- About four hundred drawings by the maestro have survived to this day.among which there are sketches and images of lost paintings.
- The amazing kindness and emotional generosity of the artist was manifested not only in relation to loved ones. Rafael all his life cared for as a son of one poor scholar, translator of Hippocrates in Latin - Rabio Calve (Rabio Calve). A learned man was as holy as a scientist, so he did not save his fortune and lived modestly.
- In the monastic records, Margarita Luti was designated as "the widow of Raphael." In addition, examining the layers of paint in the painting "Fornarina", restorers discovered under them a ruby ring, possibly an engagement ring. The pearl jewelry in the hair of Fornarina and Donna Velata also testifies to marriage.
- The Fornarina's painful bluish spot on her chest suggests that the woman had breast cancer.
- In 2020, marks the 500th anniversary of the death of a brilliant artist. In 2016, for the first time in Russia, an exhibition of Rafael Santi was held in Moscow, in the Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts. At an exhibition called “Raphael. Poetry of the image ”8 paintings and 3 graphic drawings were collected from various museums in Italy.
- Children Rafael (aka Raf) is familiar as one of the “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” in the animated film of the same name, who owns stabbing bladed weapons - sai that looks like a trident.
