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

Raphael, the son of the painter Giovanni Santi, spent his early years 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.
Moving to Florence played a huge role in Raphael's creative development. 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 supervised 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 exclusively important place. 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 15th century masters in the painting young artist Rafael Santi, new qualities have emerged, when the harmonious compositional structure does not fetter the images, but, on the contrary, is perceived as necessary condition 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 "Holy Family" great painter Renaissance era Raphael Santi depicted in the classical key of biblical history - the holy family - the Virgin Mary, Joseph, the baby Jesus Christ along with St. 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 the very famous work Raphael - “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 things are associated with the Dresden painting ancient legends. Researchers find similarities in the Madonna's facial features with the model of one of the women's portraits Raphael - the so-called “Lady in the Veil”. But in resolving this issue, one should first of all take into account famous saying Raphael himself from a letter to his friend Baldassare Castiglione that in creating the image of perfect female beauty he is guided by a certain idea that arises on the basis of many impressions from the beauties the artist saw in life. In other words, the basis of the creative method of the painter Raphael Santi is the 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.

Raphael had a huge influence 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 creative work, 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, which were intended for decoration Sistine Chapel V 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 altar “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 “ 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 with 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 variants of one theme - the theme mother's 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 is more characters and the image of the Madonna is distinguished by a peculiar internal isolation - her gaze is occupied with her child - the infant Christ.

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’s painting depicts a classic version of the 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; some compositions include portrait images of 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 the beautiful Galatea swiftly moving through the waves on a shell drawn by dolphins, surrounded by newts and naiads.

In one of the first frescoes executed by Raphael, the “Disputation,” which depicts a conversation about the sacrament of communion, 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 the Orthodox Church on May 9 (May 22), in the Catholic Church on July 6.

Frescoes and last paintings of Raphael

Very strong impression produces 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).

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 any other artistic ensemble, which 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, a beautifully patterned floor - all this could create the impression of overload, if not for the high orderliness inherent in the general design of Raphael Santi, which brings to this complex artistic complex necessary clarity and visibility.

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

In the early 10s of the 16th century, 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 human soul 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 journeys of the human soul, yearning 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 - legendary lover and Raphael's model, whose real name is Margherita Luti. According to many Renaissance art critics and historians of the artist’s work, Fornarina is depicted in two famous paintings by Rafael Santi - “Fornarina” and “The Veiled Lady.” It is also believed that Fornarina, in all likelihood, served as a model for creating the image of the Virgin Mary in the painting “The Sistine Madonna”, as well as some others female images 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.

Rafael Santi deservedly ranks among the greatest masters of the era High Renaissance.

The great Italian painter was born in 1483 in Urbino. His father was also a painter and graphic artist, so the future master began his training in his father’s workshop.

Raphael's parents died when the boy was barely 11 years old. After their death, he went to Perugia to study in the workshop of Pietro Perugino. He spent about 4 years in the master's workshop and during this time he acquired his own style.

Carier start

As it says short biography Rafael Santi, after completing his studies, the artist went to live and work in Florence. Here he met such outstanding masters as Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Bartolomeo della Porta. He learned from these outstanding masters secrets portrait painting and sculptures.

In 1508, the artist moved to Rome and became the official painter of the papal court. He held this position under both Pope Julius II and Pope Leo X. It was for last Rafael painted the Sistine Chapel, the greatest masterpiece of the Renaissance.

In 1514, Raphael became the chief architect of St. Peter's Basilica. He also did a lot of excavations in Rome, worked on orders for numerous churches, painted portraits (though mostly portraits of friends), and carried out particularly significant private orders.

Retrospective of the artist’s work: the Florentine period

The artist completed his first works in his father’s workshop. The most striking example of the work of the young artist is a banner with the image of the Holy Trinity. This work is still in the house museum in Urbino.

While studying with Pietro Perugino, Raphael began working on the images of his classic Madonnas. His most striking work from 1501 to 1504 is “Madonna Conestabile”.

The Florentine period is the most eventful in Raphael's life. At this time he created his recognized masterpieces, such as: “The Lady with the Unicorn”, “The Holy Family”, “St. Catherine of Alexandria.”

Also during this period he painted a lot of Madonnas. Raphael's Madonna is, first of all, a mother (most likely, the artist was greatly influenced by the early departure of his own mother). The best Madonnas of this period: “Madonna of the Carnation”, “Madonna of Granduca”, “The Beautiful Gardener”.

Retrospective of the artist's work: the Roman period

The Roman period of creativity is the pinnacle of the artist’s career. He moved a little away from classic biblical stories and turned to Antiquity. Recognized world masterpieces are: “The School of Athens”, “Parnassus”, “Sistine Madonna” (the painting on the wall of the Sistine Chapel is the pinnacle of Raphael’s mastery), “Alba Madonna”, “Madonna with the Fish”.

Death of an Artist

Raphael died in 1520, presumably from Roman fever, which he “caught” during excavations. Buried in the Pantheon.

Other biography options

• Raphael knew A. Durer. It is known that the latter gave Raphael his self-portrait, but its fate is still unknown to this day.
• Villa Farnesina is a special stage in the artist’s career. We can say that for the first time he addresses ancient mythology And historical painting. This is how the frescoes “The Triumph of Galatea” and “The Wedding of Alexander and Roxana” appear. It is interesting that Raphael also painted from nudes. His best work in this regard is “Fornarina” (it is believed that most of the female portraits made by the artist were copied from his model and beloved Fornarina, about whose fate little is known).
• Raphael wrote beautiful sonnets, mainly dedicated to the love of women.
• In 2002, one of graphic works Raphael was sold at Sotheby's for a record amount for this type of work - 30 million pounds sterling.

All of Raphael's paintings are a vivid reflection of his subtle nature. WITH early years he was endowed with a seasoned work ethic and a desire for spiritual and pure beauty. Therefore, in his works he tirelessly conveyed the enchanting forms of lofty ideas. Perhaps that is why such a huge number of works were born under the master’s brush, which convey the perfection of the surrounding world and its ideals. Probably, none of the artists of the Renaissance so skillfully and deeply revived the subjects of their paintings. Just remember a real masterpiece of art of that time “ Sistine Madonna" The image of a unique, wonderful vision appears unshakably and desired before the viewer. It seems to descend from the bluish depths of heaven and envelop those around with its majestic and noble golden radiance. Mary descends solemnly and boldly, holding her baby in her arms. Such paintings by Raphael are a vivid reflection of his sublime feelings and pure sincere emotions. Monumental forms, clear silhouettes, balanced composition - this is the whole author, his aspirations for high ideals and perfection.

On his canvases the master fell in love with feminine beauty, graceful grandeur and gentle charm of the heroines. It’s not for nothing that he wrote at least two of his works “ Three Graces" And " Cupid and the Graces» dedicated beautiful goddesses Roman mythology - ancient Greek Charites. Their soft forms and rich lines embodied the most joyful, kind and bright beginning of all life. Raphael tirelessly drew inspiration from them. He purposefully depicted goddesses naked in order to bring each viewer closer to virgin and tender nature. high art. Perhaps this is why the rest of the artist’s works vividly display divine power, sensual beauty, inextricably linked with the ideals of the surrounding world.

Text: Ksusha Kors

Biography

The era of the High Renaissance in Italy gave the world great artists: Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Raphael, Titian. Each of them embodied the spirit and ideals of the era in their work. The works of Leonardo clearly reflected cognitive purposefulness, the works of Michelangelo - the pathos and drama of the struggle for great perfection, Titian - cheerful free-thinking, Raphael glorifies the feelings of beauty and harmony.

Raphael (more precisely Raffaello Santi) was born April 6, 1483(according to other sources, March 28, 1483) in the family of the court artist and poet of the Duke of Urbino Giovanni Santi in the city of Urbino. Raphael's father was an educated man and it was he who instilled in his son a love of art. And Raphael received his first painting lessons from his father.

When Rafael was 8 years old, his mother died, and at the age of 11, after the death of his father, he was left an orphan.

The city of Urbino, where Raphael was born and raised, in the middle of the 15th century was a brilliant artistic center, a center of humanistic culture in Italy. Young artist could get acquainted with wonderful works of art in the churches and palaces of Urbino, and the beneficial atmosphere of beauty and art awakened imagination, dreams, and nurtured artistic taste. Biographers and researchers of Raphael's work suggest that for the next 5-6 years he studied painting with mediocre Urbino masters Evangelista di Piandimeleto and Timoteo Viti.

IN 1500 year, Rafael Santi moved to Perugia to continue his education in the workshop of the most important Umbrian painter, Pietro Perugino (Vannucci). Artistic style The contemplative and lyrical Perugino was close. The first artistic compositions were performed by Raphael at the age of 17-19 “ Three Graces», « Knight's Dream" and the famous " Madonna Conestabile" The theme of the Madonna is especially close to Raphael’s lyrical talent and it is no coincidence that it will remain one of the main ones in his work.

Raphael's Madonnas are usually depicted against the backdrop of landscapes, their faces breathing calm and love.

During the Peruginian period, the painter created the first monumental composition for the church - “ Mary's Betrothal", signifying new stage in his work. IN 1504 year Raphael moves to Florence. He lived in Florence for four years, occasionally traveling to Urbino, Perugia, and Bologna. In Florence, the artist becomes familiar with the artistic ideals of Renaissance art and becomes acquainted with the works of antiquity. At the same time, Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo worked in Florence, creating cardboards for battle scenes in the Palazzo Vecchiu.

Rafael studies antique art, makes sketches from the works of Donatello, from the compositions of Leonardo and Michelangelo. He draws a lot from life, depicts models naked, and strives to correctly convey the structure of the body, its movement, and plasticity. At the same time, he studies the laws of monumental composition.

Raphael's painting style is changing: it expresses plastic more strongly, forms are more generalized, compositions are more simple and strict. During this period of his work, the image of the Madonna becomes the main one. The fragile, dreamy Umbrian Madonnas were replaced by images of more earthly full-blooded ones, their inner world became more complex and emotionally rich.

Compositions depicting Madonnas and Children brought Raphael fame and popularity: “ Madonna del Granduca" (1505), " Madonna Tempi" (1508), " Madonna of Orleans», « Madonna Column" In each painting on this subject, the artist finds new nuances, artistic fantasies make them completely different, the images acquire greater freedom and movement. The landscapes surrounding the Mother of God are a world of serenity and idyll. This period of the painter, " Madonna artist" - the flowering of his lyrical talent.

The Florentine period of Raphael’s work ends with the monumental painting “ Entombment"(1507) and marks his transition to a monumental-heroic generalized style.

in autumn 1508 Raphael moves to Rome. At that time, at the invitation of Pope Julius II, the best architects, sculptors, and painters from all over Italy came to Rome. Humanist scientists gathered around the papal court. Popes and powerful spiritual and secular rulers collected works of art and patronized science and the arts. In Rome, Raphael becomes a great master of monumental painting.

Pope Julius II commissioned Raphael to decorate the papal chambers with paintings. Vatican Palace, the so-called stanzas (rooms). Raphael worked on the frescoes of the Stanza for nine years - from 1508 to 1517. Raphael's frescoes became the embodiment of the humanistic dream of the Renaissance about the spiritual and physical perfection of man, his high calling and his creative potential. The themes of the frescoes that form a single cycle are the personification and glorification of Truth (Vero), Good, Good (Bene), Beauty, Beautiful (Bello). At the same time, these are, as it were, three interconnected spheres of human activity - intellectual, moral and aesthetic.

The theme of the fresco " Dispute» (« Dispute"") affirmation of the triumph of the highest truth (the truth of religious revelation), communion. On the opposite wall is the best fresco of the Vatican Stanzas, greatest creation Raphael " Athens school». « Athens school"symbolizes the rational search for truth by philosophy and science. IN " Athens school“The painter depicted a meeting of ancient thinkers and scientists.

Third fresco of Stanza della Segnatura " Parnassus“- the personification of the idea of ​​Bello - Beauty, Beautiful. This fresco depicts Apollo surrounded by muses, inspiredly playing the viol; below are famous and anonymous poets, playwrights, prose writers, most of them ancient (Homer, Sappho, Alcaeus, Virgil, Dante, Petrarch...). Allegorical scene opposite " Parnassus", glorifies (Bene) Good, Good. This idea is personified by the figures of Wisdom, Measure and Strength, rhythmically united by the figures of little geniuses. Three of which symbolize virtues - Faith, Hope, Charity.

Raphael was engaged in monumental painting until the last years of his life. Raphael's surviving drawings clearly reveal the originality of the artist's creative method, the preparation and implementation of the main task of the work. The main goal is to create a holistic and complete composition.

During his years of work in Rome, Raphael received many orders for portraits. The portraits he created are simple, strict in composition; the main, most significant, unique thing in a person’s appearance stands out: “ Portrait of a Cardinal», « Portrait of the writer Baldassare Castiglione"(Raphael's friend)…

And in Raphael’s easel painting the plot with the Madonna remains a constant theme: “ Madonna Alba" (1509), " Madonna in a chair"(1514-1515), altar paintings - " Madonna di Foligno"(1511-1512), " St. Cecilia"(1514).

The greatest creation of easel painting by Raphael " Sistine Madonna"(1513-1514). The royally majestic human intercessor descends to earth. The Madonna hugs little Christ to her, but her hugs are multi-valued: they contain both love and parting - she gives him to people for suffering and torment. Madonna moves and is still. She remains in her sublime ideal world and goes to the earthly world. Mary forever brings her son to people - the embodiment, a symbol of the highest humanity, beauty and greatness of sacrificial maternal love. Raphael created an image of the Mother of God that is understandable to everyone.

The last years of Raphael's life were devoted to different areas activities. IN 1514 In the year he was appointed to supervise the construction of St. Peter's Basilica, overseeing the progress of all construction and renovation work in the Vatican. He created architectural designs for the Church of Sant'Eliggio degli Orefici (1509), Palazzo Pandolfini in Florence, and Villa Madama.

IN 1515-1516 years, together with his students, he created cardboards for carpets intended to decorate the Sistine Chapel on holidays.

The last work is “ Transfiguration"(1518-1520) - performed with significant participation of students and was completed by them after the death of the master.

Raphael's painting reflected the style, aesthetics and worldview of the era, the era of the High Renaissance. Raphael was born to express the ideals of the Renaissance, the dream of a beautiful person and a beautiful world.

Raphael died at the age of 37 April 6, 1520. The great artist was buried with full honors in the Pantheon. Raphael remained the pride of Italy and all humanity for centuries.

Raphael Santi (1483-1520) is the greatest Italian artist, architect and graphic artist.

Childhood and adolescence

Raphael was born on March 14, 1483. This happened in eastern Italy in the small town of Urbino on the night of Good Friday. The child's father, Giovanni dei Santi, was engaged in poetry and painting; he was a gifted but not outstanding artist; he worked at the court of the Duke of Montefeltro.

The boy's mother, Margie Charla, died very early. Rafael was only 8 years old at the time. Didn't pass three years, how his father passed away in 1494. But Giovanni managed to send the children to the right direction, in his workshop his first artistic experience Raphael also received it.

The boy was still very young, when his father discovered his artistic talent and inclination for art, and began to train his son in painting. And very soon he received an assistant in the person of young Raphael, the child was not even ten years old when he and his father painted pictures commissioned by the Urbino state. Raphael's very first work is considered to be the fresco "Madonna and Child", which he made together with his father.

First independent work Raphael had paintings commissioned for the church:

• “A banner with the image of the Holy Trinity” (the canvas was written in 1499-1500);
• "Coronation of St. Nicholas of Tolentino" (Santi worked on this altar image in 1500-1501).

Study in Perugia

In 1501 Santi entered for further education painting in Perugia to the artist Pietro Perugino, who at that time occupied a leading position among Italian masters. The young student thoroughly studied the style of his teacher, and began to imitate it so decisively and accurately that soon copies of Raphael could not be distinguished from the original paintings of the famous Perugino.

With the utmost skill, Santi completed the work for Madame Magdalena degli Oddi (not with paint on canvas, but with oil on wood). Now this creation is in the Church of San Francesco in Perugia, it depicts the Mother of God, Jesus Christ and the twelve apostles around the tomb, contemplating a heavenly vision.

Raphael's early works of that period also include paintings:

• "Three Graces";
• "Archangel Michael Slaying Satan";
• "A Knight's Dream"
• "The Sermon of Saint John the Baptist."

While studying in Perugia, Raphael often came home to the Urbino town of Citta de Castella, where, together with the Italian artist Pinturicchio, he made commissioned works.

In 1502, Santi painted his very first “Madonna Solly”, then he painted them until the end of his life.

By 1504, the artist had already developed a certain style, and his first significant works appeared:

• “Betrothal of the Virgin Mary to Joseph”;
• "Portrait of Pietro Bembo";
• "Madonna Conestabile";
• "Saint George Slaying the Dragon";
• "Coronation of Mary".

Florentine period of life

In 1504, Raphael left Perugia. He headed to Florence; this move played a huge role in the artist’s creative development. Here he began to carefully study the works of Bartolomeo della Porta, Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci and other Florentine painters. Santi thoroughly studied the mechanics and anatomy of human movements, complex angles and poses, and worked a lot with nature.

His paintings from the Florentine period already showed the complex formulas of agitated and dramatic human movement that Michelangelo had previously developed.

In 1507, Santi wrote another masterpiece, “Entombment.”

Raphael's popularity began to grow, he received many orders for portraits and images of saints.

But the main theme in his Florentine paintings was the Madonna and Child; he painted about 20 paintings. Despite the standard scenes, the Madonna holding a baby in her arms or playing next to her with John the Baptist, all images are absolutely individual. A special maternal tenderness is visible in these works. Most likely, it was due to the fact that Raphael’s mother died very early; such a loss was deeply reflected in the artist’s soul; he did not receive all the affection and kindness from the woman who gave him life.

The Madonnas depicted in his paintings led to Raphael's success and fame. He received a huge number of orders on similar topics, during this period Santi wrote his best works:

• "Madonna Granduca";
• "Madonna under the canopy";
• "The Beautiful Gardener" (or "Madonna and Child and John the Baptist");
• "Madonna Terranuova";
• "Madonna with Carnations";
• "Madonna with the Goldfinch."

Santi spent four years in Florence, during which time he reached unique technology in painting and individuality in style. Many of his works of this period are considered the most beautiful and ideal in the history of world painting, he wrote flawless figures and faces.

In Florence, Santi met and became friends with Donato Bramante, who later played a significant role in the artist’s life.

Vatican

In 1508, Santi left Florence, he went to Rome, where he lived all his remaining years.

Here, with the help of his friend Bramante, Raphael was hired to work at the papal court as an official artist. He began to engage in fresco painting and brilliantly painted the Stanza della Segnatura with multi-figure compositions. Pope Julius II was pleased with his work. Santi had not yet completed one stanza when the Pope entrusted him with painting three more; Moreover, the painters who had already begun to paint them (Perugino and Signorelli) were suspended from work.

There were a lot of orders, and Santi took students to help him. He made the sketches himself, and his students helped him in painting.

In 1513, Julius II was replaced by Leo X, he also appreciated Raphael’s abilities and entrusted him with making cardboards for the Sistine Chapel, where they would depict Bible stories. Leo X also commissioned the artist to create loggias that overlook the Vatican courtyard. Over the course of 5 years, these loggias of 13 arcades were built according to Santi’s ideas. Then the artist made sketches of Biblical scenes, and his students decorated the loggia with 52 frescoes.

In 1514, Raphael's friend and mentor Donato Bramante died. At this time, construction of St. Peter's Cathedral had just begun in Rome, and Santi was appointed to the position of chief architect. And a year later, in 1515, he was approved as the chief custodian of antiquities. It was Raphael, who replaced the deceased Bramante, who completed the famous Vatican courtyard with loggias.

The workload in the Vatican was crazy, but at the same time Santi still managed to work on altar images on orders from churches. His painting “Transfiguration” is considered the most majestic and masterpiece.

Santi did not forget about his favorite topic - Madonna. During the time he lived in Rome, he created about 10 images:

• "Madonna in a Chair";
• "Madonna with the Fish";
• "Madonna Alba";
• "Madonna Foligno".

Here he created the pinnacle of his creativity - the Sistine Madonna.

This painting is considered phenomenal; no one will ever be able to unravel the secret of the great artist, how he managed to combine all the shades, shapes and lines into a single whole, that when looking at this picture there is only one thing irresistible desire- look continuously at sad eyes Maria.

Most of Raphael's paintings were painted on religious themes. But in his work there were also portrait works. The following were especially beautifully created:

• "Portrait of Pope Julius II";
• "Portrait of Baldassare Castiglione";
• "Portrait of Bindo Altoviti";
• "Portrait of Leo X with Cardinals Giulio de' Medici and Luigi Rossi";
• "Portrait of Cardinal Alessandro Farnese."

Rafael himself last time captured in the painting “Self-Portrait with a Friend.”

A great lover of painting, the owner of the bank, Agostino Chigi, suggested that Santi decorate his residence outside the city, built on the banks of the Tiber, with frescoes on the theme of ancient mythology. While working on this order, the artist created his best work, which is called the most beautiful of the beautiful, “The Triumph of Galatea.”

Raphael had a lot of students, however, none of them became an outstanding artist. Giulio Romano had the greatest talent, but his work was not appreciated by his contemporaries. Several paintings were painted by Giovanni Nanni. Perin del Vaga, who worked in Genoa and Florence, turned out to be a good artist. Francesco Penni had excellent potential, but he died very early.

Raphael's other talents

Santi proved himself to be no less a professional in architecture. The churches, chapels, and palazzos built according to his design were distinguished by their grace, rich facade plasticity, restrained noble forms and intimate interiors. Each palace he created had an individual, elegant appearance.

Santi was also involved in engravings and drawings. About 400 of his drawings have survived to this day. Raphael did not make the engravings themselves, but created sketches for them. Marcantonio Raimondi made many engravings based on his drawings. One of Santi’s graphic works, entitled “Head of a Young Apostle,” was sold at Sotheby’s at the end of 2012 for record amount£29,721,250 (double the starting price).

Raphael loved poetry very much, he even wrote a little poetry himself.

Personal life

The great artist’s beloved was his model Margherita Luti, who received the nickname Fornarina.

The girl can be seen in two of his paintings “Donna Velata” and “Fornarina”, and he painted her figure when painting stanzas with frescoes.

Fornarina's father was a baker, they lived in Rome. When young Rafael arrived here, he met Fornarina completely by chance and immediately fell in love. For 3,000 gold pieces, he bought the girl from her father and took her to a villa specially rented for her.

Until the artist's death, Fornarina was his model and main love throughout their lives, for almost 12 years, they lived together, although it cannot be said that the young woman remained faithful to her Raphael. When Santi was painting the villa for the banker Agostino Chigi, Fornarina began an affair with the owner. She was also often not averse to having fun with Raphael's students.

About this beautiful story love was painted by the French artist Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres, it is called “Raphael and Fornarina”.

Accurate further fate Fornarina after Raphael's death is unknown. There are two versions. According to one, she received a decent fortune under a will, led a dissolute life and became the most famous courtesan in Rome. According to the second version, she was tonsured a nun, where she soon died.

Death of an Artist

It is not known for certain why Rafael Santi died. Some sources claim that he felt ill after a stormy night in bed with Fornarina. Modern researchers of his life have suggested that the artist visited the excavations and fell ill with Roman fever, which led to his death.

Santi died on April 6, 1520, barely reaching the age of 37. His body was buried in the Pantheon, the tomb was made with the epitaph: "Here lies to rest great Raphael“During his life, nature was afraid of being defeated, and after his death, she was afraid of dying.”

There is a crater on the planet Mercury that is named after the great Italian Raphael Santi.

His brushes include such masterpieces of world painting as “The Sistine Madonna”, “Madonna of Granduca”, “The Three Graces”, “The School of Athens”, etc.

In 1483, in the city of Urbino, a son was born into the family of the painter Giovanni Santi, who was named Raphael. From childhood, he watched his father work in his workshop and learned the art of painting from him. After the death of his father, Raphael ended up in the studio of the great artist in Perugia. It is from this provincial workshop that the biography of Raphael Santi as a painter begins. His first works, which later received recognition from art lovers, were the fresco “Madonna and Child”, the banner depicting the “Holy Trinity”, and the image on the altar “The Coronation of St. Nicholas of Tolentino” for the temple in the city of Città di Castello. These works were written by him at the age of 17. For two or three years, Raphael created paintings exclusively with religious themes. He especially liked to draw Madonnas. During this period, he painted “Madonna Solly”, “Madonna Conestabile”, etc. His first works on non-biblical themes were the paintings “The Knight’s Dream” and “The Three Graces”.

Biography of Raphael Santi: Florentine period

In 1504, Raphael moved from Perugia to Florence. Here he meets the greatest artists that time Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo Buonarroti and other Florentine masters, and their works made a deep impression on him. Raphael begins to study the work techniques of these masters and even makes copies of some paintings. For example, his copy of Leonardo’s canvas “Leda and the Swan” still survives. From Michelangelo, a great master of depicting the human body, he tries to adopt the technique of drawing the correct poses and

Artist Raphael. Biography: Roman period

In 1508, the 25-year-old painter travels to Rome. He is entrusted with the monumental painting of some walls and ceilings in the Vatican Palace. This is where the artist Raphael can truly shine! His biography, starting from this period, leads the master to the pinnacle of glory. His giant fresco "The School of Athens" was recognized as a masterpiece by the highest ecclesiastical officials.

For some time, Rafael Santi supervises the construction. At the same time, he creates several more Madonnas. In 1513, the artist finished working on one of the most famous paintings in world painting - “ Sistine Madonna", which perpetuated his name more than others. Thanks to this painting, he won the favor of Pope Julius II, who appointed him to the position of chief artist of the Apostolic See.

His main job at the papal court was painting the state rooms. However, the artist also managed to paint portraits of noble nobles and made several of his own self-portraits. The entire biography of Rafael Santi is nevertheless connected with painting paintings depicting the Madonna. Subsequently, art critics explained this passion by his desire to find the ideal of purity and purity. More than 200 paintings of the Madonna by Raphael are known to the world, although this is far from an exact number. Raphael Santi died at the age of 37 in Rome, but his paintings have continued to delight connoisseurs of true art for many centuries.