Raphael 9781780422237, 1780422237

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Raphael

Text: Eugene Müntz Layout: Baseline Co. Ltd, 61A-63A Vo Van Tan Street 4th Floor District 3, Ho Chi Minh City Vietnam

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ISBN: 978-1-78042-223-7

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“Here lies Raphael, who while he lived made Nature afraid of being bested by him and, when he died, of dying with him.” — Pietro Bembo (Epitaph carved on Raphael's tomb in the Pantheon)

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Biography 1483

Raffaello Santi or Sanzio, known as Raphael, is born in Urbino, probably on the 6th of April. He is the son of Giovanni Santi, a painter and official poet at the court of the great patron of the arts Federico da Montefeltro.

1491

Death of Raphael’s mother. He is deeply affected by the event.

1494

His father also dies. He is taken in by his uncle, a priest.

1495

The young artist arrives in Perugia and supposedly becomes one of the disciples of Pietro Vannucci, known as Perugino.

1501

The artist finishes the first work known to be his, the altar of the church of San Nicola da Tolentino, at Castello, in Umbria.

1504-1508

He spends several years in Florence, which is later known as his Florentine period. He discovers the works of Leonardo and Michelangelo, which influence him strongly. Raphael paints many pictures of the Virgin Mary, in particular The Madonna of the Goldfinch (1506), The Madonna of the Pinks (1506-1507) and The Madonna and Child with Infant St John the Baptist, often called La Belle Jardinière (1507-1508).

1508

He leaves for Rome where he settles permanently. Pope Julius II asks him to decorate the Stanze della Segnatura at the Vatican. They contain two major works: the School of Athens and Disputation over the Most Holy Sacrament. 5

6

1512

Raphael takes up architecture. He plans, designs, and supervises the construction of a chapel for Agostino Chigi.

1514

He finishes the decoration of another room in the Vatican, the Stanza dell’Eliodoro. The artist’s popularity is now such that he receives many commissions. Most are finished by his assistants, so much work does he have. His workload increases even more when he is asked to finish St Peter’s Basilica, following the death of his mentor and friend, the architect Bramante.

1515

Raphael paints the Portrait of Baldassare Castiglione, probably with the help of his assistants.

1516

Cardinal Giuliano de’ Medici commissions the altarpiece of the Transfiguration. He will work on it until his death and it will then be finished by one of his pupils.

1517

Raphael is appointed superintendent of antiquities in Rome by Pope Leo X. He immediately begins an inventory of the ancient monuments in the city. Still working for the Pope, he completes a series of ten cartoons for tapestries for the Sistine Chapel. These are later woven by Pieter van Aelst in Brussels.

1518-1519

He paints one of his masterpieces, the Portrait of Leo X with Cardinals Giulio de’ Medici and Luigi de’ Rossi. It is perhaps his only late work done entirely without the help of his assistants. The Fornarina is also painted during this period, inspired by the baker’s daughter with whom Raphael is supposed to have been hopelessly in love.

1520

Raphael dies of a fever on the 6th of April, his thirty-seventh birthday. As he is by then wealthy and admired, his funeral is held in the Vatican and his body buried in Rome at the Pantheon. 7

Birth of Raphael and his First Works

O

n the 6th of April 1483, Raphael, who would carry to such heights of glory the

name of Santi, was born in Urbino, Italy. His father, Giovanni Santi, gave him the name of an archangel, as though guessing the celestial splendour to which his son would rise. Giovanni was a modest and thrifty member of the middle class, ready to accept any commission, provided it was well remunerated.

Angel Holding a Phylactery (fragment of the Baronci Altarpiece) 1500-1501 Oil on wood, 58 x 36 cm Musée du Louvre, Paris 8

9

To judge him only by his ordinary occupations, one would be tempted to take him for an artisan rather than an artist, so diverse and varied were his activities. But this worker, so humble in appearance, had travelled extensively. He had studied the works of the most famous masters; he possessed the secrets of the trade and stopped at nothing in order to remain abreast of new methods. He had observed and read widely, and the names of the humanists were familiar to him.

The Crucified Christ with the Virgin Mary, Saints and Angels (The Mond Crucifixion) c. 1502-1503 Oil on poplar wood, 283.3 x 167.3 cm The National Gallery, London 10

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Given Giovanni Santi’s tastes, we may assume that, in addition to a very careful artistic education, his son received a good and solid literary one as well. Raphael lost his mother at the age of eight, and his father four years later. In spite of Giovanni Santi’s premature death, knowledgeable judges see several similarities of style between the works of the father and those of his son. It is quite probable that Raphael received some lessons from his father. How was the interval separating the death of Giovanni Santi and Raphael’s departure for Perugia filled?

The Madonna and Child with a Book c. 1502-1503 Oil on wood, 55.2 x 40 cm Norton Simon Museum of Art, Pasadena, California

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It is probable that in his native city the boy received lessons from his compatriot Timoteo Viti. This capable painter, whose value should, nonetheless, not be exaggerated, had returned to Urbino in 1495 after solid studies done in Bologna in the workshop of Francia. A tender friendship immediately united the two artists. In his period of grandeur, Raphael did not forget the companion of his youth; he called him to him in Rome, and asked for his help in the execution of the Sibyls and the Prophets in the church of the Pace.

Head of a Boy with a Cap c. 1502-1503 Black chalk, 21.2 x 18.6 cm Palais des Beaux-Arts, Lille

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His Departure for Perugia and his Collaboration with Perugino If Raphael’s new home, Perugia, was less developed culturally in 1495 than Urbino, it offered some compensation from the point of view of the beauty of the countryside, its variety and the vastness of the reactions it evoked. Here again the young artist was to breathe the brisk, vivifying air of the mountains, and be in contact with a countryside full of poetry.

The Crowning of the Virgin (Oddi Altarpiece) 1502-1504 Oil and tempera on wood transferred onto canvas, 272 x 165 cm Musei Vaticani, Vatican City 16

17

Pietro Vannucci, “Perugino”, his new master, concentrated only on painting, nothing else, whereas most of his contemporaries excelled at once in painting, goldsmith work, architecture or sculpture. But he had travelled greatly, he had seen close-up the most remarkable men of that great time. His conversation was therefore perfect for sparking the interest of his young listener. He could speak to him of the very energetic and unscrupulous Pope, Sixtus IV, whose unflagging activity had transformed Rome; of Innocent VIII,

Saint Michael and the Demon, known as The Small Saint Michael c. 1503-1505 Oil on wood, 30 x 26 cm Musée du Louvre, Paris 18

a no less enthusiastic builder; of Cardinal Giuliano della Rovere, whose magnanimous personal warmth, mixed with frightening flashes of temper, already foretold the style of his papacy as Pope Julius II. In Florence, Perugino had had the opportunity to see Lorenzo the Magnificent, perhaps also Charles VIII. Savonarola struck him as a true prophet, whose teachings he followed enthusiastically. Then the master spoke of matters of art. He described Verrocchio’s studio, a training ground for great artists, where he had worked beside Leonardo da Vinci and Lorenzo di Credi.

Portrait of Elisabetta Gonzaga 1504 Oil on wood, 52.9 x 37.4 cm Galleria degli Uffizi, Florence

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He told of experiments among his comrades to refine the laws of perspective and to initiate themselves into the deepest secrets of colour. They were wonderful and profitable years for they had marked the beginning of a new era in the history of painting. The great competition for the decoration of the Sistine Chapel must have been a frequent theme in their conversation. It is easy to imagine his pupils hanging on his every word as he described such marvels.

The Marriage of the Virgin 1504 Oil on wood, 170 x 118 cm Pinacoteca di Brera, Milan

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The biographer of Italian artists, Giorgio Vasari, tells us – and there is every reason to accept his account – that Raphael’s skill, his true gifts and his charming ways quickly won over his new master. We can picture the young man from Urbino at work beside Perugino in his modest studio smock, his eye alert, his brow thoughtful, a smile of exquisite kindness on his lips, displaying both innocence and distinction. From the beginning, Perugino saw in Raphael the potential which would be confirmed by posterity.

Allegory, known as The Vision of a Knight 1504 Oil on poplar wood, 17.1 x 17.3 cm The National Gallery, London

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25

The pupil, for his part, held a filial affection for his master and the warmth of their relationship never changed. When Raphael left his master, around 1502, he had learned all that the ageing Umbrian could teach him. Oil painting and frescos no longer held any secrets for him. Later on, to be sure, his brush gained greater freedom and strength, but he also lost some of his qualities; the general tone was no longer quite so amber, nor as warm and luminous as in his early efforts, imperfect in so many respects, from this first period.

Portrait of a Young Man Holding an Apple 1504 Oil on wood, 47 x 35 cm Galleria degli Uffizi, Florence

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27

The names of Perugino and of Raphael are in fact inseparable in the history of art, as seen in the School of Athens where Raphael was going to place Perugino’s portrait beside his own. When Perugino returned to Tuscany, Raphael was nineteen. He was old enough to try his hand at several works of his own, and face criticism directly.

His

master,

overwhelmed

with

commissions, was happy to have the student share the prestige attached to the so aptly named “peruginesque” style and undoubtedly recommended him (with an enthusiasm made all the greater for its selflessness) to his Umbrian friends and patrons.

Madonna and Child, known as The Conestabile Madonna 1504 Tempera on wood transferred onto canvas, diameter: 17.9 cm The State Hermitage Museum, St Petersburg 28

29

Umbria began to be like a second home for Raphael. The young artist naturally started out with paintings on a small scale and with subjects not requiring the widest knowledge. A large number of Madonnas, shown from the waist up, with a bearing that is still rather timid (the Virgin is generally seen from the front as she looks down modestly at her son), are part of these early works. Worth mentioning among them is The Virgin and Child with a Book.

The Madonna and Child Enthroned with Saints (Colonna Altarpiece) c. 1504 Oil and gold on wood, central panel: 169.5 x 168.9 cm; lunette: 64.8 x 171.5 cm The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York 30

31

Raphael, during this entire first period, was obliged to deal with the demands of his Umbrian audience. Neither the clothing, the attributes, nor even the pose of his figures should vary appreciably from tradition. In order for a Madonna or a Holy Family to inspire feelings of contrition in the people, they had to reflect the traditions consecrated by centuries of belief. It was not long before Raphael was entrusted with larger works.

Portrait of Pietro Bembo c. 1504 Oil on wood, 54 x 39 cm Szépmu”vészeti Múzeum, Budapest

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Shortly after his master Perugino’s departure, a lady from one of the most powerful families of Perugia, Maddalena degli Oddi, commissioned the young man to paint the Crowning of the Virgin for the church of Saint Francis. The last painting done in Città di Castello in the vicinity of Perugia, and certainly not the least, is the Sposalizio or Betrothal of the Virgin (1504). Here Raphael triumphantly overcame all the challenges.

The Three Graces 1504-1505 Oil on wood, 17 x 17 cm Musée Condé, Chantilly

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The landscape, vast and flooded with light, is indescribably charming, while a polygonal temple, which would have done honour to the most sophisticated architect, has taken the place of the hybrid building in Perugino’s treatment of the subject. This temple is a masterpiece of taste and elegance, showing us the intellectual relationship Raphael had with his illustrious compatriot Bramante.

Portrait of the Doge Leonardo Loredan c. 1504-1505 Metal point, 12.1 x 10.4 cm Palais des Beaux-Arts, Lille

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The young artist was proud of his work, and he had reason to be. Therefore, whereas previously he had modestly hidden his initials or his signature, he now boldly wrote on the façade of the building these simple words, designed to strike the astonished and delighted masses who crowded around the new altar painting at the church of Saint Francis: Raphael Vrbinas MDIIII.

Head and shoulders of a woman, in three-quarter profile facing left, with folded arms c. 1504-1507 Pen and brown ink, traces of black chalk, glued layers of paper, 22.2 x 15.9 cm Musée du Louvre, Paris 38

39

Raphael Travels to Siena – The Vision of a Knight The period between the years 1504 and 1508 is surely the most agitated in the life of Raphael. He was by turns in Perugia, Città di Castello, Siena, Urbino, Florence, perhaps also in Bologna, then once more in Perugia and Urbino, although it is impossible to establish with certainty the respective dates of these different journeys.

Saint George and the Dragon, known as The Small Saint George 1505 Oil on wood, 31 x 27 cm Musée du Louvre, Paris 40

At times, as in Urbino, the young master took part in all the entertainments of a cultured and brilliant court; at others, as in his new peregrinations across Umbria, he was hard at work. In one place he left behind a masterpiece, and in another he established fast friendships. Looking at his style or choice of subject matter, one is struck by their diversity; religious history and secular history, portraits, easel painting and monumental frescos – there is nothing at which he did not try his hand.

Eight Nude Men besieging Perugia 1505 Pen, brown ink, stylus, 26.6 x 40.6 cm Musée du Louvre, Paris

42

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He was interested in and influenced by Signorelli, Leonardo da Vinci, Frà Bartolommeo, and Masaccio almost simultaneously; then he abruptly reverted to the Perugino manner. More than once the observer feels completely disoriented, and yet, through all of these apparent contradictions, Raphael continued to grow and advance. It is this period, in all probability, that produced the charming little painting, now in the National Gallery in London, The Vision of a Knight. It is the first time that we see Raphael portraying a secular subject, and he does so with a charm and loftiness fit to discourage even the most eminent master.

Warrior on Horseback with a Shield 1505 Pen and ink, 25.7 x 21 cm Galleria dell’Accademia, Venice

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45

Through a stroke of genius, the young master, leaving mythology aside, sought his inspiration in a less distant, more real, tradition. He called upon these centuries so rich in poetry, these Middle Ages which Pulci and Boiardo had made interesting; he chose to evoke that knighthood whose noble aspirations and high exploits could rival those of classical heroes. The form of a dream, a vision, which he gives to the scene further adds, if such is possible, to the delicacy and depth of the artist’s conception.

Standard Bearer 1505 Pen and ink, 25.7 x 21 cm Galleria dell’Accademia, Venice

46

47

Raphael Returns to Urbino Meanwhile, his lengthy stay in Umbria had not caused Raphael to forget his native city, his beloved Urbino. Once he had fulfilled his obligations in Perugia and in Città di Castello, he resolved to go and see his relatives, his uncle Simon and the Montefeltro family who ruled the Duchy of Urbino, to whom his father had been a friend much more than a subject. This trip took place in 1504, perhaps on his return from Siena.

Madonna and Child with an Angel and the Infant Saint John, known as Madonna Terranuova 1505 Oil on poplar wood, diameter: 88.5 cm Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, Berlin 48

49

Considering only painting, the court of Urbino supplied Raphael with varied and picturesque subjects. The learned conversations presided over by Duchess Elisabetta, the theatrical performances, the frequent references to classical Antiquity, animated his brush by turns. But the citizens of Urbino had even stronger sentiments in their hearts. In the wake of cruel hardships such as the invasion of the duchy by the Borgias, and after a deliverance they had scarcely dared hope for, patriotism was in the air.

The Madonna and Child Enthroned with Saint John the Baptist and Saint Nicholas of Bari, known as Madonna Ansidei 1505 Oil on poplar wood, 216.8 x 147.6 cm The National Gallery, London 50

51

Raphael could not have been unaware of such things. There is no doubt that in his Saint George and Saint Michael, both painted for Guidobaldo da Montefeltro, he wished to symbolise the defeat of Cesare Borgia and the triumph of the Montefeltros. These free and bold allegories are part of the master’s genius. Narrating, in an official style, the combats and the exploits of his patrons seemed to him unworthy. In his eyes, the struggles of his contemporaries needed to be raised to an epic level, translated into expressions meant to live across the centuries.

Madonna and Child, known as Little Cowper Madonna c. 1505 Oil on wood, 59.5 x 44 cm Widener Collection, National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C. 52

53

The Saint George is a masterpiece of composition, but it is also a masterpiece of colour. Raphael demonstrates, through the judicious choice of hues and through their vigorous and precise repetitions, the extent to which the painter and the draughtsman are combined in his art. There is nothing more delicate and harmonious than this painting in which, for all of that, no detail is sacrificed. The red saddle contrasts strikingly with the magnificent white coat of the horse; it makes, in turn, the most picturesque contrast against the steel armour of the saint.

Portrait of Agnolo Doni 1505-1506 Oil on wood, 65 x 47.7 cm Palazzo Pitti, Galleria Palatina e Appartamenti Reali, Florence

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55

The red and white sections of the lance add a lively, bright note to the subdued tones of the landscape; they inject into the whole a most striking sense of energy. Raphael in Florence In the month of October 1504 Raphael arrived in Florence with the firm intention of seeking his fortune in this artistic capital of Italy.

Portrait of Maddalena Doni 1505-1506 Oil on wood, 65 x 45.8 cm Palazzo Pitti, Galleria Palatina e Appartamenti Reali, Florence

57

He had asked his patron, Duchess Giovanna della

Rovere,

to

give

him

a

letter

of

recommendation to the Gonfaloniere Pietro Soderini, and it was under the auspices of this great lady that he met the leader of the Florentine Republic. All indications lead us to believe that Raphael, who was then a follower of the Florentine school, did not think or act in any other way. Antiquity, to use the felicitous expression of Quatremère de Quincy, was like a mirror helping to see nature better.

Madonna of the Meadow, known as Belvedere Madonna 1505-1506 Oil on canvas, 113 x 88.5 cm Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna 58

He used it to interpret the model more freely, to lend greatness to his manner, nobility to his symbols, and more fullness and simplicity to the drapery; in short, to get closer to the laws of classical beauty. But it was in the studio of Baccio d’Agnolo especially that Raphael made many useful acquaintances.

Baccio,

like

many

of

his

contemporaries, practised not only architecture but also wood sculpture and marquetry.

Holy Family with Beardless Saint Joseph 1505-1506 Oil and tempera on canvas, 72.5 x 56.5 cm The State Hermitage Museum, St Petersburg

60

He could be seen alternately directing the construction of vast palaces, or assembling, with the patience worthy of Job, microscopic wood fragments destined to decorate the choirstalls of some cathedral. There was worthy and learned company, in winter especially, in Baccio’s studio. There was much discussion. More than one reputation, to be sure, was made or unmade among the workbenches piled with squares and planes. Raphael was prominent in this elite company. He stood out by his delightful urbanity; he had a talent for shedding light on the most obscure matters without giving the slightest offence.

Madonna and Child, known as Granduca Madonna c. 1505-1506 Oil on wood, 84.4 x 55.9 cm Palazzo Pitti, Galleria Palatina e Appartamenti Reali, Florence 62

63

Unfortunately, throughout the four years of his stay in Florence, Raphael was reduced to working only for less powerful patrons, or for foreigners. The young newcomer could therefore count only on patrons who, for reasons of taste or finances, preferred

easel

painting

to

monumental

compositions (The Dei family were the only ones to commission an altarpiece, the Madonna of the Canopy). This situation, quite by chance, in a way determined the nature of his productions. It often takes no more than that to change the direction of an entire movement.

Portrait of a Woman, known as La Donna Gravida 1505-1506 Oil on panel, 66 x 52 cm Palazzo Pitti, Galleria Palatina e Appartamenti Reali, Florence 64

In this respect, Raphael’s time in Florence could be properly called the “period of the Madonnas”. Indeed, the commissions for the major works painted by the master between 1504 and 1508 came, with the exception of the Madonna of the Canopy, not from Tuscany, but entirely from his beloved Umbria. Among the Florentine patricians who helped Raphael make his start, the most important was undoubtedly Taddeo Taddei, an enlightened patron of art and literature. He commissioned, among other things, Michelangelo’s famous basrelief of the Madonna and Child.

The Crowning of the Virgin, known as The Monteluce Madonna 1505-1525 painting finished and co-signed by his pupils in 1525 Oil on wood, 354 x 232 cm Musei Vaticani, Vatican City 66

67

Taddei took such a liking for the young artist that he gave him free access to his home and his table. Raphael was careful not to refuse, but he did not wish to let himself be outdone in generosity, and made his host a present of two paintings, one of which, the Madonna of the Meadow, can be counted among his most exquisite productions. Thus, Raphael’s Florentine period was more productive in terms of learning and technical progress than in material gain.

The Madonna of the Goldfinch 1506 Oil on wood, 107 x 77 cm Galleria degli Uffizi, Florence

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The young artist rapidly rose to the rank of master and produced masterpieces, but the government and those wealthy art lovers who after the Medici family was expelled assumed their role as patrons of the arts, families such as the Ruccellai, the Strozzi and others, seemed not to have known he was there. Nonetheless, Raphael owed a debt to Florence that he would not forget. Never, without the solid instruction which he received there, would he have become the incomparable draughtsman worthy of working for Julius II and Leo X, and later capable of founding the Roman School.

Portrait of a Young Woman, known as The Lady and the Unicorn 1506 Oil on wood, 65 x 51 cm Galleria Borghese, Rome 70

71

Return to Perugia in 1505 This first stay in Florence does not seem to have lasted long, since by 1505 we see him once again in Perugia, where he certainly spent most of the year. Two important works date from this time, the Holy Family of the Convent of Saint Anthony (begun as early as 1504) and the fresco of San Severo.

Saint George and the Dragon 1506 Oil on wood, 28.5 x 21.5 cm Andrew W. Mellon Collection, National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C. 72

73

The artist also received in 1505 the commission for the Crowning of the Virgin, meant for the nuns of Monteluce, near Perugia (finished after his death by two of his pupils), and perhaps also the commissions for the Ansidei Madonna and for the Deposition, which however he did not finish until two years later, in 1507. By this time, as attested by many documents, such as the contract with the convent of Monteluce, Raphael was recognised as the most eminent master in the land.

Self-Portrait 1506 Oil on wood, 45 x 33 cm Galleria degli Uffizi, Florence

74

Around 1505, the young master seems to have travelled again to Urbino. In all likelihood, Raphael took advantage of being in Urbino to take a side trip to Bologna, where he was drawn by the wish to make the acquaintance of Francesco Francia. The renown of this eminent Bolognese goldsmith, medallist and painter had long been known, but Raphael had yet another reason to visit him; Francia had been the master of one of his dearest friends, Timoteo Viti. A warm friendship soon grew between the two artists, in spite of their age difference, Francia being then about fifty-five years old.

Madonna dei Garofani, known as The Madonna of the Pinks 1506-1507 Oil on yew, 27.9 x 22.4 cm The National Gallery, London 76

Around 1506 the elderly goldsmith-painter had but few tricks of his trade left to teach his young colleague from Urbino, but on the other hand, he had much to learn from the young artist. Judging from the many paintings which show how hard he tried to imitate him and adopt his methods, one must recognise his high admiration for the productions of this versatile and delicate young brush. In the second half of the year 1506, or no later than the beginning of 1507, Raphael was back in Florence.

The Madonna d’Orleans 1506-1507 Oil on wood, 31.7 x 23.3 cm Musée Condé, Chantilly

78

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In addition to the Madonnas, around this time he painted two works of very different inspiration; Saint

Catherine

of

Alexandria

and

The

Deposition. Maternal love found its most exalted and harmonious expression in the Madonnas painted by Raphael from the time he arrived in Florence until he left for Rome. The master, while borrowing from his predecessors the context of his images, succeeded in infusing them with a life and a beauty unknown before him. His study of nature and the inspiration of his loving heart had made it possible for him to completely rejuvenate a subject which by then seemed exhausted.

The Holy Family with a Palm Tree Oil and gold on wood transferred onto canvas, diameter: 101.5 cm National Gallery of Scotland, Edinburgh

80

81

In the same way, in those paintings where he celebrates the witnesses and confessors of Christianity, the martyrs of the early church, Raphael shows himself to be just as original. By the time Raphael left for Rome in about 1508, he was still only twenty-five years old, yet had already left masterpieces throughout Umbria, Tuscany, the Duchy of Urbino and EmiliaRomagna. Some sixty paintings, a monumental fresco, and innumerable drawings testify to his inexhaustible productivity.

The Entombment, known as The Borghese Deposition 1507 Oil on wood, 184 x 176 cm Galleria Borghese, Rome 82

83

Everywhere he went, he had shown, when encountering existing schools, an extraordinary acceptance, an unparalleled ease of assimilation, without becoming, after a brief initiation period, the mere imitator of his former masters. Perugino and his pupils Pinturicchio, Timoteo Viti and Francia, were quick to recognise this superior genius. Frà Bartolommeo was happy to be able to give him a few bits of advice. The cities, convents, and patrons of Perugia, Città di Castello and Florence lavished their encouragement upon him, and as for the Duke of Urbino, he was proud to be his patron.

The Holy Family with the Lamb 1507 Oil on wood, 29 x 21 cm Museo nacional del Prado, Madrid

84

85

Religious compositions, portraits, mythological scenes, allegories; there was hardly a subject that the young master did not treat with equal success. But Raphael’s art, at this point, had still not reached its apogee. Raphael in Rome If in April 1508 Raphael was still in Florence, by the month of September of the same year he was living in Rome, where he seems to have entered the service of the Pope immediately.

Portrait of a Woman, known as La Muta 1507 Oil on wood, 64 x 48 cm Palazzo ducale, Galleria nazionale delle Marche, Urbino

86

87

The role which Julius II entrusted to him was certainly not second-rate; to Bramante, the rebuilding of Saint Peter’s; to Michelangelo, the papal mausoleum and the ceiling of the Sistine chapel; to Raphael, the decoration of the apostolic palace. In other circumstances Raphael might have abandoned himself, like so many others, to reverie and melancholy; for while Rome has the gift of elevating and inspiring, it also has the power to discourage (how many artists have not felt themselves paralysed before this accumulation of masterpieces!).

Leda and the Swan c. 1507 Pen and ink, traces of black chalk, 31 x 19.2 cm The Royal Collection, London

88

89

Fortunately for the young foreigner, important duties kept him from such a danger. Having entered the service of a passionate, fiery, and implacable sovereign, in whose eyes speed was the greatest virtue, he was obliged to produce again and again, with no let-up. But, whereas he was forced to stifle all those feelings in him which might have distracted him from the fulfilment of his task, he swore in return to devote all his free moments to the study of an art so great that it made his head spin.

Saint Catherine of Alexandria c. 1507 Oil on wood, 72.2 x 55.7 cm The National Gallery, London

90

91

His admiration only grew with the years; having studied Antiquity as an artist, he next studied it as an archaeologist and conceived the splendid plan of restoring Imperial Rome. Raphael certainly studied the mosaics of the Christian sanctuaries, those amazing works still imbued with classical grandeur. Some, such as those at Saint Constance, could provide him with the models of the most delicate of ornamentations; Psyche and Eros, children harvesting grapes, birds, flowers and urns, all handled with great sophistication for decorative effect.

Madonna and Child, known as The Bridgewater Madonna Oil and gold on wood transferred onto canvas, 81 x 55 cm National Gallery of Scotland, Edinburgh 92

93

Others, in particular those at Saint Pudentiana, would

familiarise

him

with

the

beautiful

composition in antique paintings. Concerning the latter, everything tends to confirm that Raphael was familiar with the fourth-century mosaic master of Saint Pudentiana. Moreover, Bramante was not merely the most benevolent of patrons for Raphael, but also acted as his guide and teacher. Not limiting himself to imparting the finer points of architecture, he designed for him the admirable portico which frames the scene in the School of Athens.

The Madonna and Child with the Infant Saint John the Baptist, known as La Belle Jardinière 1507-1508 Oil on wood, 122 x 80 cm Musée du Louvre, Paris 94

95

He further made him a gift of ingenious patterns making it easy to apportion the human figure as well as the horse. Indeed, as he was dying, Bramante recommended him to the Pope as the only one worthy of succeeding him as architect-in-chief of Saint Peter’s Basilica. Was there any greater testimonial that he could make to their friendship than to make him his intellectual heir?

Holy Family in the Countryside with Saint John the Baptist, Saint Anne and Saint Joachim, know as Holy Family with the Pomegranate 1507-1508 Black chalk, 35.3 x 23.4 cm Palais des Beaux-Arts, Lille 96

97

Raphael was grateful, since he gave Bramante a place of honour in the Disputation over the Most Holy Sacrament and in the School of Athens. On the strength of his own genius, and with the support of powerful friends, he was not long in gaining the favour of Julius II. Approval from the artistic community confirmed the Pope’s decision. The frescos of the Stanza della Segnatura were not even finished before all of Rome was hailing the young master from Urbino as the renovator of Italian painting.

Madonna and Child, known as The Tempi Madonna 1507-1508 Oil on wood, 75 x 51 cm Alte Pinakothek, Munich 98

99

Raphael in the Service of Julius II: the Stanza della Segnatura – Disputation over the Most Holy Sacrament; School of Athens; Parnassus What considerations had led to this decision by the Pope? To what all-powerful protector did the artist from Urbino owe this coveted distinction? A contemporary source relates that Raphael was called to Rome through the intercession of Bramante. Bramante was a compatriot, perhaps even a relative of Raphael.

Madonna and Child Enthroned with Saints, known as The Madonna of the Canopy 1507-1508 Oil on wood, 279 x 212 cm Palazzo Pitti, Galleria Palatina e Appartamenti Reali, Florence 100

He was, moreover, on very close terms with Perugino, who doubtless spoke to him on more than one occasion of his most gifted pupil. His natural congeniality, perhaps also the desire to strengthen his own position by means of a recruit who would be devoted to him and help him fend off the coterie – the word is no exaggeration – of Michelangelo, led him to plead the case of Sanzio to the Pope. His recommendation from the court of Urbino undoubtedly did the rest. Whatever the merit, charm, and perfection of the works produced by Raphael up to then,

The Madonna, Joseph and Elizabeth with the Infant Jesus and John the Baptist, known as The Canigiani Holy Family 1507-1508 Oil on wood, 131 x 107 cm Alte Pinakothek, Munich 102

the support of the chief architect of Saint Peter’s, in addition to that of the Pope’s closest relatives, were indispensable for him to win the day over so many rivals. His name at that time was not yet generally recognised in Rome; the artist had as yet scarcely worked on monumental compositions, and only a few insiders could have foreseen the prodigious flight that his genius would take in Disputation over the Most Holy Sacrament and in the School of Athens of the Stanza della Segnatura.

The Madonna Nursing the Child, Seated in the Countryside, known as The Sergardi Madonna c. 1507-1508 Pen and brown wash, white highlights, traces of squaring, 24.9 x 18.5 cm Musée du Louvre, Paris 104

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Julius II, beside himself with admiration for Raphael’s first works, proved to be unforgiving towards the works of his various collaborators. He ordered them destroyed. Raphael on the other hand – and this would be to his eternal honour – bravely defended the principles of broad tolerance which were the hallmark of the First Renaissance. Thus he succeeded in saving part of the work by Perugino, Peruzzi and of Il Sodoma. Even today, in the rooms of the Burgo Fire, of Heliodorus and of the Segnatura, the ceilings still show a number of figures and ornaments produced by these three artists.

Madonna and Child, known as The Large Niccolini-Cowper Madonna 1508 Oil on wood, 80.7 x 57.5 cm Andrew W. Mellon Collection, National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C. 106

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Facing Disputation over the Most Holy Sacrament is the School of Athens; confronting the triumph of religion is that of science. Plato and Aristotle are the counterparts of Saint Jerome and Saint Augustine, and are no less majestic. The scene of the School of Athens takes place under a vast portico, with coffered arcades and niches bearing on the left the statue of Apollo, his head nobly inclined, and on the right that of Pallas Athene, proudly holding the lance and shield.

Apollo and Marsyas 1508-1511 Ceiling fresco Stanza della Segnatura, Vatican City

108

Does not this splendid edifice, which Vasari attributed to Bramante’s influence, remind us of the august and luminous temples built using the ideas of philosophy and celebrated in such beautiful verses by the immortal disciple of Epicurus, Lucretius? Is this not the sanctuary in which,

according

to

the

poet,

worldly

preoccupations – ambition, vanity, love of wealth – give way to the search for truth and the purest pleasures of the mind?

Philosophy 1508-1511 Ceiling fresco, diameter: 180 cm Stanza della Segnatura, Vatican City

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And these philosophers created by Raphael are worthy of enjoying these pleasures. They are men indifferent to outside events, disdaining death, true classical characters. How well the artist of the sixteenth century has imbued himself with the grandeur of that time! How well he has succeeded in bringing it back to life and showing its eternal youth! No-one had ever gone so deeply into the spirit of a society of which the humanists were but a pale reflection. Nowhere does one find such a brilliant vision of it.

Poetry 1508-1511 Ceiling fresco, diameter: 180 cm Stanza della Segnatura, Vatican City

112

If, in the School of Athens Raphael reached a height never attained by any other painter, and if, reaching beyond decadent Roman art he discovered the purest inspirations of the Greek genius, it is because the artist in him never let himself abdicate to the erudite. It is because, in dealing with the subject which was laid out for him, he managed to remain entirely independent. Thus to try to give a name to each of the characters in this vast scene would be an absolutely foolish undertaking.

Justice 1508-1511 Ceiling fresco, diameter: 180 cm Stanza della Segnatura, Vatican City

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It is certain, in fact, that whereas Raphael followed the general lines of the history of philosophy, as it had been prepared for him by some of his humanist friends, he nonetheless was inspired, for several of his figures, by purely artistic considerations. If he had a void to be filled, he did not hesitate to add contemporary characters with no apparent relationship to the main action; Duke Francesco-Maria of Urbino, the young Federico of Mantua, Perugino, even himself. Thus he brought new life to the composition, and achieved this grouping of inimitable purity and harmony.

Study for the Disputation over the Most Holy Sacrament 1509 Pen and brown ink over traces of black chalk, 28.1 x 41.6 cm Städel Museum, Frankfurt am Main 116

117

In the Disputation over the Most Holy Sacrament and the School of Athens, one admires the architectural clarity of the composition, the scope of the ideas, the grandeur and majesty of the figures. While in the first Raphael has risen to an epic height, in the other he has shown with what consummate ease he could analyse the feelings or beliefs of his heroes and bring drama even to the teaching of philosophy. The third fresco of the same room, Parnassus, stands out for very different reasons.

Disputation over the Most Holy Sacrament 1508-1511 Fresco, width: 770 cm Stanza della Segnatura, Vatican City

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Sanzio has broken here with the traditional preoccupations of symmetry and decorative doctrine, by reason of the very nature of the subject. Indeed, if religion and philosophy each make up a body of doctrine founded on strict rules, poetry, on the other hand, arises purely from imagination. It is therefore only right for the artist, in celebrating it, to exercise the greatest independence. For the first time Raphael gives full rein to his inspiration, abandoning all calculation, as if persuaded in advance that his composition, whatever it might be, would be a masterpiece.

School of Athens 1508-1511 Fresco, width: 770 cm Stanza della Segnatura, Vatican City

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In Parnassus there is nothing but lyrical effusion; poetry overflows, and there is no room for prose. The figures are grouped with a freedom and ease which can be surprising for so systematic a mind. The lilting elegance of their poses and their languid expressions are reminiscent in more than one case of the manner of Il Sodoma, whose influence Raphael may well have experienced at about that time. By the depth of its ideas, the nobility of its style, the liveliness and youthful energy which reign throughout even in the slightest details of its decoration, this vast ensemble would remain a unique monument in the annals of painting. Raphael had never risen so high.

Nude Man seated playing the Lira da Braccio (Study for Apollo in the Parnassus at right, detail of the arm and of the instrument) c. 1509-1511 Pen and ink over graphite, 34.9 x 23.8 cm Palais des Beaux-Arts, Lille 122

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Raphael in the Service of Julius II: the Stanza dell’Eliodoro The Stanza della Segnatura was finished in 1511, after three years of work. Julius II, filled with enthusiasm, then commissioned Raphael to decorate the neighbouring room, the Stanza dell’Eliodoro. The character of this room is entirely different. The greatness of religion, the might of the head of the Church, such are the ideas which strike us in the paintings of this room.

Parnassus 1508-1511 Fresco, width: 870 cm Stanza della Segnatura, Vatican City

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No more secular references, no more excursions into the realm of poetry; art has abandoned its independence and now wishes only to remind us that we are in the apartments of the sovereign pontiff. And what a sovereign was Julius II. On one side, the glorification of the military exploits of the Pope in the transparent allegory of the Expulsion of Heliodorus from the Temple; on the other, the representation of a miracle intended to bring even the most unbelieving to accept the teachings of religion.

Cardinal and Theological Virtues and the Law 1508-1511 Fresco, width: 660 cm Stanza della Segnatura, Vatican City

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For the first time, Raphael, in the Stanza dell’Eliodoro, entrusted a large part of the work to a collaborator. He took on Giulio Romano, then twenty years old, as his assistant. The decoration of the Stanze would have been enough to absorb any artist less productive and less able than Raphael. However, as colossal as the work done in the Stanza della Segnatura and in that of Heliodorus, the frescos of the pontifical palace amounted to barely half of the paintings done by Raphael between 1508 and 1513.

The Madonna and Child with the Infant Saint John the Baptist, known as The Garvagh Madonna c. 1509-1510 Oil on wood, 38.9 x 32.9 cm The National Gallery, London 128

This period gave birth to several altarpieces of monumental proportions, easel paintings, a number of portraits, the beautiful drawings of The Death of Lucretius, and of The Slaughter of the Innocents, so masterfully reproduced by the engravings of Marcantonio Raimondi. By that time Raphael was also working as an architect. Whereas in the Madonnas and other Holy Family paintings of the Florentine period Raphael often sacrificed the expression of religious feelings to that of purely human ones such as maternal love or the joys of childhood, in the compositions done in Rome religion regains the upper hand.

Madonna of Loreto, known as The Madonna of the Veil 1509-1510 Oil on poplar wood, 120 x 90 cm Musée Condé, Chantilly 130

The master thus returns to the preoccupations of the Umbrian school, in spite of the brilliance and power that his style had acquired since his time under the banner of Perugino. Working under the eyes of the head of the Church, addressing all of Christianity, he tried to give to fundamental Christian dogma all the loftiness that he was capable of. He sought to surpass himself, and so he did.

The Cardinal c. 1510 Oil on wood, 79 x 61 cm Museo nacional del Prado, Madrid

132

Raphael at Court The winter of 1513 held a painful ordeal for Raphael. On the 20th of February his benefactor died, he who had been the first to entrust him with a task worthy of his talents, he who so unforgiving and implacable to others had shown an almost paternal benevolence for the young painter. Raphael had spent some four and a half years in the Pope’s service. At first he feared that the death of Julius II might slow the progress of his success and place on the pontifical throne someone less favourable to the arts.

Cherub Holding a Tablet 1510 Black chalk, 22.5 x 15.4 cm Palais des Beaux-Arts, Lille

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But the accession of Leo X soon reassured him. Even if the new Pope had not professed the highest admiration for the young artist’s talent (Raphael had included his portrait in one of the frescos of the Stanza della Segnatura), he would have been forced by the supplications of his entourage to take an interest in him. Raphael’s exaltation, indeed, had the result that most of his friends were also promoted to high positions.

The Alba Madonna c. 1510 Oil on wood transferred onto canvas, diameter: 94.5 cm National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.

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Even if he had not had such devoted and powerful friends, Raphael would have surely won the favour of the new Pope just as quickly. Not only had he become the most famous of painters, but also a skilled courtier. Forced at an early age to fend for himself, the young man from Urbino had realised the necessity of developing qualities which nature had given him; gentleness, courtesy, and irresistible charm.

Portrait of Tommaso “Fedra” Inghirami c. 1510 Oil on wood, 89.5 x 62.8 cm Palazzo Pitti, Galleria Palatina e Appartamenti Reali, Florence

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To these he soon added flexibility. By the time Julius II died, the young master had a perfect understanding of reality, both in things and in men. Moving in the wealthy and ecclesiastical circles of Perugia, he had acquired excellent manners by the time he returned to Urbino. In Florence he had been initiated into the intrigues of the artistic world, and in Rome, with Bramante as his mentor, those of the pontifical court.

Expulsion of Heliodorus from the Temple 1512-1514 Fresco, width: 750 cm Stanza di Eliodoro, Vatican City

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The four years he spent in the service of that “despot” known as Julius II had accustomed him to bending when necessary, to navigating around obstacles, and to seeking the most intelligent solution for all situations. With a sovereign like Leo X the qualities which he most needed to prove were acceptance and speed. The successor to Julius II piled work upon Raphael; one day the artist had to improvise decorations for a theatre; the next, paint the portrait of an elephant. Then he would be asked to lay out the plan of some building, or furnish sketches for a medal, and so on.

Portrait of Pope Julius II 1511 Oil on poplar wood, 108.7 x 81 cm The National Gallery, London

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Death of Bramante and the Commissions by Leo X The death of Bramante in March 1514, so soon after the accession of the new Pope, was a great misfortune for Raphael. Not only did it deprive him of a devoted friend, a perceptive and experienced adviser and a second father, but it also forced upon him the almost superhuman burden of directing the work on Saint Peter’s. In addition, Raphael became, like his master, the general superintendent of the arts.

Madonna of Foligno 1511-1512 Oil tempera on wood transferred onto canvas, 308 x 198 cm Musei Vaticani, Vatican City 144

145

He was obliged to handle pencil, brush and compass, organise celebrations and supervise archaeological excavations, all at the same time. Full of the confidence of youth and with his prodigious ease, Raphael accepted the enormous task thrust upon him with a light heart. Never was there an athlete more ready for the fray, more joyful, more eager. The future would judge if he had overestimated his powers or not.

The Madonna and Child, Saint John and two Saints, known as Madonna dell’Impannata 1511-1516 Oil on wood, 160 x 127 cm Palazzo Pitti, Galleria Palatina e Appartamenti Reali, Florence 146

In his eagerness to complete the decoration of the pontifical palace, Leo X wanted Raphael, even before finishing the paintings of the Stanze, to begin those in the Loggia and thus to manage two enormous projects at the same time. When Leo X assigned Raphael to decorate the ceiling of the Loggia with the history of the Jewish people, the subject matter was already largely settled. To introduce life and a new eloquence into a prescribed framework was to be the main preoccupation of the artist.

Mass of Bolsena 1512 Fresco, width: 840 cm Stanza di Eliodoro, Vatican City

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This presented a double problem. How did Raphael interpret the sacred texts? And to what extent did he accommodate the plans left by his predecessors? When we compare the biblical passages with Raphael’s compositions, we are first of all forced to admire the tremendous suppleness of his genius. These frescos seem to match the biblical stories perfectly. Thus the artist has remained faithful to the accepted interpretation of the texts and appears to have made no concession to the technical requirements imposed by the painted medium.

The Madonna and Child with the Infant Saint John, known as The Madonna of the Veil or The Madonna with a Blue Diadem c. 1512 Oil on wood, 68 x 48 cm Musée du Louvre, Paris 150

151

And yet, if one approaches them from the point of view of the intrinsic merit of the compositions, one is tempted to think that remaining true to the texts was the least of the artist’s worries, and that he had been concerned first and foremost with creating a pure and harmonious decorative work. Taken from this double perspective, the Loggia may be counted among the miracles of art. The ornamentation of the Loggia is justifiably considered to be the most dazzling triumph of decorative painting.

Triumph of Galatea c. 1512 Fresco Villa Farnesina, Rome

152

The harmony of the whole is equalled only by the infinite variety of detail. Here one admires a truly classical clarity, there whimsy dominates. As if with a magic wand, the creator of these marvels succeeds in transporting us to an enchanted world. The arts, crafts, and nature have been enlisted in equal measure; grotesques alternate with landscapes, flowers with fish and birds (his pupil, Giovanni da Udine, apparently added to his decorations a great number of rare animals found in the menagerie of Leo X), arms with musical instruments and genre scenes with mythological tableaux.

The Prophet Isaiah c. 1512 Fresco, 205 x 155 cm Church of Sant’Agostino, Rome

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The detractors of Leo X, however – and they still exist today – criticise him for commissioning Raphael to do mere tapestry cartoons, thereby reducing painting to the level of an industry and placing the richness of the medium above stylistic beauty. By giving such an assignment to his favourite artist, the Pope was, however, merely following the lead of some of the most enlightened patrons of the fifteenth century. Raphael, for his part, by accepting a role some might say was beneath him, could invoke the authority of illustrious predecessors.

Cherub Flying Holding Flowers 1512-1513 Grey coated paper, black chalk, white highlights, 23.6 x 17.2 cm Palais des Beaux-Arts, Lille 156

157

The marvellous fabrics of Flanders, these tapestries from Arras to which, in honour of their place of origin, the Italians have given the name of “arazzi,” had long before won the admiration of all the most discerning connoisseurs of Italy. Over many years the Flemish workshops were at pains to fulfil all the orders from their Italian clients. The first set of tapestries were meant for the Sistine Chapel; they were to represent The Acts of the Apostles. For The Acts of the Apostles, Raphael sought, much more so that in his other compositions, striking contrasts and dramatic effect.

Sistine Madonna 1512-1513 Oil on canvas, 269.5 x 201 cm Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister, Dresden

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To make a stronger impression on the spectator he did not even hesitate to sacrifice that beauty of order and that distinction of the figures so dear to him. He wanted above all to be seen as a strict interpreter of the sacred texts, and in this he succeeded. It could be said that no-one has entered so deeply into the spirit of the Gospel as he. His Apostles are indeed these men of great heart, but with the plebeian looks and rough manners of which the New Testament speaks; that is fishermen and craftsmen.

The Meeting of Leo the Great and Attila 1512-1514 Fresco, width: 750 cm Stanza di Eliodoro, Vatican City

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The two first scenes, The Miraculous Draught of Fishes and Christ's Charge to Peter, are possessed of a quite evangelical simplicity. No brilliant costumes, no sumptuous structures. The setting for both of them is one of those pure and tranquil landscapes so dear to Raphael. The action too is reduced to its most basic expression. In one, Saint Peter and another disciple adoring Christ, while their companions are busy pulling the net full of fish from the water; in the other, Christ handing the keys to the Prince of Apostles in the presence of the other disciples.

Portrait of a Woman, known as La Velata c. 1512-1516 Oil on canvas, 82 x 60.5 cm Palazzo Pitti, Galleria Palatina e Appartamenti Reali, Florence

162

These scenes are among the most solemn that the Gospels have handed down, and yet if the artist had eliminated all of the accessories – fish, nets, ropes, sheep and so on – or if he had transported us to an idealised world, the nature of the subject would have justified such licence. Nor were these models, which Raphael so lovingly prepared for tapestry, denied to the other decorative arts. Metalwork, wood sculpture, marquetry, mosaics, each benefited from his attention in its turn. He painted theatre sets with his own hand.

The Holy Family with the Infant Saint John the Baptist c. 1513-1514 Oil on poplar wood, 154.5 x 114 cm Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna 164

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He may even have given Luca della Robbia the design for the glazed floor tiles meant to grace the Loggia and several rooms of the papal apartments. His double role as painter and architect made him particularly suited for such work, work to which he brought the refined sense of taste which distinguishes everything he produced. If we add the patterns made for these different crafts to the innumerable ornamental motifs contained in his frescos and paintings, we easily recognise that Raphael holds a place in the annals of decorative art which is quite as prominent as in painting proper.

Study for The Madonna with a Fish 1513-1514 Red pencil over traces of black pencil, stylus on the left, 22.7 x 26.3 cm Galleria degli Uffizi, Florence 166

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Raphael was not daunted by inheriting Bramante’s works. No interruption, in 15141515, in his painting activity; no sign of fatigue. The enthusiasm which Raphael brought to his new duties did not flag with the years. To summarise, Raphael’s contribution to the rebuilding of Saint Peter’s was limited to certain secondary work. In the nave, the new chief architect raised the pillars just before those under the cupola to a height of approximately twelve metres.

Holy Family with Raphael, Tobias and Saint Jerome, known as The Madonna with a Fish 1513-1514 Oil on wood transferred onto canvas, 215 x 158 cm Museo nacional del Prado, Madrid 168

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In the south transept, he created the vault of at least one of the two arches in the rear wall, either alone or with Antonio da Sangallo. As for the north transept, it is difficult to decide whether the corresponding pillars are his work or Bramante’s. The completion of the Loggia, along with the continuation of the work at Saint Peter’s, was the main work entrusted by the Pope to Raphael. This part of the apostolic palace had been begun by Bramante under Julius II. Raphael’s work, in all probability, was limited to adding the third floor, which is supported only by columns.

The Madonna della Tenda 1513-1514 Oil on wood, 65.8 x 51.2 cm Alte Pinakothek, Munich

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The Pope’s cousin, Cardinal Giulio de’ Medici (nephew of Lorenzo the Magnificent), also chose Raphael as his architect. He asked him to draw up plans for the villa which he wished to build at the gates of Rome on the Monte Mario, the Villa Madama. The arrangement of Ionic pilasters, the loggia and the arcades which extend into the pool of the lower terrace, are worthy of our complete admiration. Like the temple built in Rimini by Leon Battista Alberti, they create a sensation of grandeur without having colossal dimensions.

The Madonna and Child and Saint John, known as The Madonna of the Chair or Madonna della Seggiola (or Sedia) c. 1513-1514 Oil on wood, diameter: 71 cm Palazzo Pitti, Galleria Palatina e Appartamenti Reali, Florence 172

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The profiles of the pedestals, the windows with white marble crossed mullions, the entry court arranged in a semi-circle, add to the building’s effect. Here one finds a simplicity, a fluidity, and a fullness which demonstrate the qualities with which Raphael could endow his structures. Raphael and Antiquity Before his arrival in Rome in 1508, Raphael had scarcely made any systematic study of the masterpieces of classical art.

Four Sibyls 1513-1514 Fresco, width: 615 cm Santa Maria della Pace, Rome

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Although he had admired in Urbino, Siena, and Florence the Greek and Roman statues and bas-reliefs, he had not felt obliged to directly imitate such monuments; just once in Siena had he made a drawing of a Greek marble, the group of the Three Graces, and this copy is singularly inept. In Rome, all that changed as if by magic; the pious and gentle painter of Madonnas was suddenly fascinated by the heroes of paganism.

Page of Studies 1514 Pen and brown wash, traces of black chalk, 26.4 x 34.5 cm Galleria degli Uffizi, Florence

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He created, as we have already noted, the School of Athens and Parnassus, those striking visions of the Grecian world. From then on, classical

Antiquity

had

no

more

ardent

proponent. After being inspired by it as an artist, Raphael studied it as an archaeologist, and it is to the classical style that he devoted his final efforts. The restitution of classical Rome, along with Transfiguration and the Villa Madama, make up the crowning acts of his brilliant career, which was cut so short.

Fire in the Borgo 1514-1517 Fresco, width: 670 cm Stanza dell’Incendio di Borgo, Vatican City

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The influence of Antiquity manifests itself in three different ways in the work of Raphael; through the changes occurring in his style, through the imitation of specific classical models – paintings, bas-reliefs or statues – and through the choice of subjects taken from mythology and Greek and Roman history. By dint of studying classical works, Raphael familiarised himself not only with the methods and the style of his Greek and Roman predecessors, but also with their ideas and beliefs.

Saint Cecilia 1514 Oil on wood transferred onto canvas, 238 x 150 cm Pinacoteca Nazionale, Bologna

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The ingenious fictions of mythology, the exploits of the heroes celebrated by Homer and Virgil, came alive for him with new vividness. The gods of Olympus came to rival Christianity for his attention and Antiquity provided the subject matter for his most brilliant compositions. This is the double face that Raphael shows us, but whereas in the early stage the artist prevails over the archaeologist, we observe the opposite phenomenon towards the end of his life.

Portrait of Baldassare Castiglione 1514-1515 Oil on wood, 82 x 67 cm Musée du Louvre, Paris

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Not long after his arrival in Rome, Raphael had the opportunity to demonstrate his reverence for the mementos of the past, whether this past was Antiquity, the Middle Ages, or the Renaissance, and to reveal that in addition to the artist there were also in him the makings of an archaeologist. Julius II, in his zeal to fill the Vatican with new creations, had given his favourite painter the order to destroy his predecessors’ frescos. Raphael had no choice but to obey, but he wished at least that all traces of these works, so important in the history of art, not be lost, and had copies made of part of the paintings by Piero della Francesca.

Crowning of Charlemagne 1514-1517 Fresco, width: 670 cm Stanza dell’Incendio di Borgo, Vatican City

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What a magnificent lesson to that horde of obsessed demolishers, those vandals who at the time

were

attacking

the

most

venerable

monuments of Rome, both pagan and Christian! If Raphael’s example had been emulated, if his values had triumphed, we would now possess at least an image, however incomplete, of so many masterpieces lost forever. Yet it was not until long after that Raphael was able to exert a more effective influence on the preservation of historical monuments.

The Miraculous Draught of Fishes 1515-1516 Black chalk and distemper on paper mounted on canvas, 302 x 309 cm Victoria & Albert Museum, London 186

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A brief from Leo X dated 27th August 1515, gave him, most probably at his own request, the right to intercede against the destruction of any ancient marble pieces bearing inscriptions. Raphael and Michelangelo After the ancients, the artist who had the greatest, if not the most fertile, influence on Raphael was Michelangelo. We have seen the young man from Urbino already taking inspiration in Florence from the models created by his brother artist. We resume the story of this epic rivalry from the time Raphael took up residence in Rome.

Christ’s Charge to Peter 1515-1516 Black chalk and distemper on paper mounted on canvas, 304 x 503 cm Victoria & Albert Museum, London 188

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When Raphael got to the banks of the Tiber, Michelangelo had already been at work on the frescos of the Sistine Chapel for several months. The new arrival, for his part, could see, in the Stanze, the promise of a most brilliant future. It therefore seemed that, since the task of each was clearly defined, no conflict could arise between them and that there would be room in their minds only for a noble and fruitful collaboration. But Raphael had been called to Rome on the recommendation of Bramante; this fact alone was enough to mark him for Michelangelo’s animosity.

The Sacrifice at Lystria 1515-1516 Black chalk and distemper on paper mounted on canvas, 305 x 506 cm Victoria & Albert Museum, London 190

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The feud between the architect from Urbino and the painter-sculptor from Florence had already been going on for several years, and with each passing day it grew more bitter. It is not difficult to see how it started. Commissioned by Julius II to build the papal tomb, Michelangelo had proposed putting it in the gallery begun by Nicholas V in Saint Peter’s Basilica. Julius II asked Bramante and Sangallo to evaluate the plan; they both drew up counter-proposals in which each sought to outdo the other, so in the end, the Pope decided to revise the work of Nicholas V and rebuild the basilica altogether.

Portrait of Bindo Altoviti c. 1515 Oil on wood, 59.7 x 43.8 cm Samuel H. Kress Collection, National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C. 192

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Thus the hopes of Michelangelo were ruined; for him it was the beginning of what he called the tragedy, the long tragedy, of the papal tomb. Agostino Chigi and the Portraits After Julius II and Leo X, the patron who most often sought out Raphael’s brush was the wealthy banker and perceptive art collector Agostino Chigi. So numerous and important are the works that he commissioned from young Sanzio that we must devote special attention to them. Agostino Chigi had considerable influence on the arts.

Portrait of a Young Boy c. 1515 Oil on wood, 43.8 x 29 cm Fundación Colección Thyssen-Bornemisza, Madrid

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His name is inextricably linked to that of Raphael and of his followers, the painters Sebastiano del Piombo and Il Sodoma, and to the architect Peruzzi, to name only the truly outstanding artists. The artistic milieu in which this Sienese banker moved was therefore nearly as prestigious and impressive as that of the Popes whose contemporary he was. Raphael had begun his relationship with Chigi shortly after his arrival in Rome. As early as 1510 he designed two platters to be cast in bronze for him.

Healing of the Lame Man 1515-1516 Black chalk and distemper on paper mounted on canvas, 304 x 504 cm Victoria & Albert Museum, London 196

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But the first major work done under his auspices was Galatea, a fresco painted in one of the rooms of his new villa. Just looking at the subjects treated by Raphael during this period, one discovers a fundamental change. The artist, whether on his own initiative or at the urging of his patrons, abandoned that simplicity of composition which he earlier preferred. Henceforth, the two traditional figures, the Mother and her Son, no longer sufficed. Whereas he still limited himself to them in the Bridgewater Madonna and in the Madonna of the Candelabra, he felt it necessary in numerous other paintings to add the infant Saint John.

Conversion of the Proconsul 1515-1516 Chalk and distemper on paper mounted on canvas, 304 x 405 cm Victoria & Albert Museum, London 198

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But this addition itself still did not satisfy him, and “The Holy Family” and “Madonna in Glory” became the forms in which it pleased him to celebrate Mary. He sought also to replace the halffigures with a full-length painting. The supernatural, almost entirely absent from the compositions of the Florentine period (hardly more than the occasional angel), comes into its own in the religious paintings from the years 1513-1520.

Death of Ananias 1515-1516 Black chalk and distemper on paper mounted on canvas, 304 x 503 cm Victoria & Albert Museum, London 200

201

The Madonna of Foligno had already shown a return to the tendencies to which the master had so often paid tribute in Umbria, and which had been given such free rein in The Crowning of the Virgin, from 1502-1504. From then on, his most important paintings were set in celestial regions and include saints. Need we add that, in this evolution, Raphael, even while asserting new preferences, refrained from breaking completely with the past? Both by temperament and conviction he was opposed to any kind of system, and he gave himself over freely to the inspiration of his genius, persuaded that it would never lead him astray.

Saint Paul Preaching in Athens 1515-1516 Black chalk and distemper on paper mounted on canvas, 304 x 404 cm Victoria & Albert Museum, London 202

203

We have the proof of this in The Madonna of the Chair. If we did not know that it had been produced in Rome, would we not think it painted on the banks of the Arno, due to its natural and spontaneous air? In the Louvre’s The Large Holy Family, known for centuries under the name of Holy Family of François I (1518), Mary is again depicted with the features of a mother, rather than the Queen of Heaven. We admire in this masterful work, so powerfully made and so emotionally communicative, not only the tenderness of the young mother reaching out to her son,

God the Father and the Symbols of the Sun and of the Seven Planets 1516 Mosaic from the cupola of the Chigi Chapel Santa Maria del Popolo, Rome 204

who stretches up towards her, his face flooded with joy, but also the majesty of Saint Joseph and the grace of the angel sprinkling flowers on the holy couple. Maternal love has not caused Mary to forget that touching modesty which Raphael had previously been fond of lending her. After a long pause we once again see the young girl of Florence, at once so beautiful and so chaste that she could be the sister, not the mother of the child she caresses. The Child too is as we have seen him in the paintings composed on the banks of the Arno; he is not yet aware of his divine mission and is no more than a most loving son.

Christ Carrying the Cross c. 1516 Oil on wood transferred onto canvas, 318 x 229 cm Museo nacional del Prado, Madrid

206

207

Thus the feeling which had predominated in Raphael during the wonderful years of his youth, during the productive period which stretches from 1504 to 1508, returned, but with a greater elevation, in this Holy Family, the last, in all likelihood, that he painted. The most famous of Raphael’s Madonnas, the pearl of the Dresden museum, the Sistine Madonna, has been considered the last of the master’s depictions of the Virgin. Indeed, what masterpiece could have been more worthy of crowning this long succession of compositions in which Mary is the heroine, and in which the artist’s inspiration grew as he went along?

The Vision of Ezekiel c. 1516-1518 Oil on wood, 40.7 x 29.5 cm Palazzo Pitti, Galleria Palatina e Appartamenti Reali, Florence

208

209

Unfortunately the theories most likely to catch our fancy are often those which stand up least well to further research. Today, the date of 1512-1513 seems to prevail. The Dresden painting is characterised in particular by the absence of opaque hues and, among others, of smoky black, which mar the last of Raphael’s paintings. Here the spectrum is light and transparent, with a prodigious candour (Frans Hals could not have painted more openly), and the figures are full of freshness and freedom.

Transfiguration 1516-1520 Oil tempera on wood, 400 x 279 cm Musei Vaticani, Vatican City

210

211

A noteworthy fact is that there is no known sketch for the Madonna of Saint Sixtus. It seems to have come in a single burst and been painted from sheer vigour, in a moment of sublime inspiration. Along with the glorification of the Virgin, there is also that of the saints. In his interpretation of the Martyrology or of The Golden Legend, Raphael follows principles similar to those which made for the success of his Madonnas and his Holy Families. He consistently creates idealised figures, personifying the virtues which he holds most dear and joining beauty with truth.

Hebe and Proserpina 1517 Red chalk over traces of silverpoint, 25.7 x 16.4 cm Teylers Museum, Haarlem

212

213

As in the past, the spectacle of the struggle attracts him less than the triumph. In his Saint Cecilia and Saint Margaret there is no room left for anything but bliss. And yet the dramatic element is not excluded; even when the action is reduced to its most basic expression, the artist has managed, through ingenious contrasts, to inject emotion at the same time as liveliness and interest. Saint Cecilia is the most famous of these paintings, and its reputation is not unwarranted.

Portrait of Leo X with Cardinals Giulio de’ Medici and Luigi de’ Rossi c. 1517 Oil on wood, 154 x 119 cm Galleria degli Uffizi, Florence 214

It is not only by the vigour of its coloration or the intensity of its expression that the masterpiece of the Bologna museum deserves to be placed in a class by itself, but also by the loftiness of its ideas. The concept of this subject, treated so often before Raphael’s time, is supremely original and brilliant. Breaking with all tradition, the artist takes us to the vast domain of harmony and suggests endless horizons. One forgets the touching legend of the young Roman noblewoman and sees only the splendid glorification of music, the art which is placed under her protection.

The Council of the Gods 1517-1519 Fresco from the ceiling of the Loggia of Psyche Villa Farnesina, Rome

216

217

Saint Michael defeating Satan (1518) is the last of these compositions which so completely renewed the religious ideal. It was commissioned by Leo X, who intended it for François I, Grand Master of the order of knighthood placed under the Archangel’s patronage. The subject does not differ greatly from that of the Saint Michael painted sometime before for Guidobaldo, Duke of Urbino. The Archangel, his head and arms bare, his chest covered by a rich breastplate, descends from heaven, and, placing his foot on Satan, prepares to strike him with his lance (in the 1504 painting, he is armed only with a sword).

Venus, Ceres and Juno 1517-1519 Fresco on a spandrel in the Loggia of Psyche Villa Farnesina, Rome

218

219

He radiates a divine beauty and shows rather more disdain than wrath against his adversary, who, stretched on the ground, writhes in rage and pain. In the portrayal of this latter, Raphael, while not making the fallen angel into a hideous dragon, as in the 1504 work, kept his identity as a faun, with his claw-like nails and muscular build. Had the artist been painting Satan alone, he, like Milton, might have made him the most beautiful of angels. Such a conception was certainly in keeping with Raphael’s tendencies; he showed as much in the Stanze and in the Loggia where he gave the Tempter features of perfect beauty.

Portrait of Lorenzo de’ Medici, Duke of Urbino 1518 Oil on canvas Private collection

220

But in Saint Michael the subject itself required a sharp contrast between the hideousness of Satan and the grace and supremacy of his victor. To be sure, Raphael was no less passionate than his rivals about seeking the ideal, but he was pragmatic enough to make room for reality. He was as much the observer as the poet, as we have already observed more than once. Accuracy, naturalism of pose, intensity of life, noble phrasing, perceptive psychological understanding; all of these qualities appear to the utmost degree in his portraits. Thus he can only be compared with the greatest of the portrait painters.

Saint Michael Slaying the Demon, known as The Large Saint Michael c. 1518 Oil on wood transferred onto canvas, 268 x 160 cm Musée du Louvre, Paris 222

223

Baldassare Castiglione, writer, courtier, and friend of the painter, posed twice for Raphael. The first of these portraits, painted about 1514-1515, is now in the Louvre, and this masterpiece is too well-known to require a description. Let us simply recall the admiration lavished on it, in the seventeenth century, by the leaders of the Flemish and Dutch schools, Rubens and Rembrandt. Indeed both insisted on copying it. To this list of works of incontestable authenticity is sometimes added a portrait in the Pitti Palace, known by the name of La Velata (Woman with a Veil).

Saint Margaret 1518 Oil on wood transferred onto canvas, 178 x 122 cm Musée du Louvre, Paris

224

225

The features of the young woman, who is believed to be Raphael’s mistress, in fact show certain similarities with the Madonna of Saint Sixtus. In his final painting, which may be viewed as his artistic last will and testament, Raphael returns to the story of Christ. We know how Transfiguration came about. The Cardinal de’ Medici, wishing to present to the city of Narbonne, where François I had had him named bishop, a token of his piety and

his

magnificence,

commissioned

two

altarpieces in 1517, which he intended for the cathedral of that ancient Gallic city.

Saint Michael Slaying the Demon 1518 Brown ink, brown wash, squaring, paper, black chalk, pen, 41.7 x 27.7 cm Musée du Louvre, Paris 226

227

He asked Raphael to do one and Sebastiano del Piombo to do the other. Was his intention to create a sort of contest between these two artists, or did he choose them entirely on the basis of their reputations? It is a difficult question to answer. One thing certain is that contemporaries saw in the Cardinal’s choice the wish to compare the two most eminent practitioners of the painting then being done in Rome. Raphael’s Transfiguration resembles none which had gone before, and yet, to completely revise the subject matter, the artist used the most natural and most legitimate method imaginable; he quite simply re-read the Gospel of Saint Matthew.

The Holy Family, known as The Great Holy Family of Francis I 1518 Oil on wood transferred onto canvas, 207 x 140 cm Musée du Louvre, Paris 228

229

In the opening verses of chapter seventeen, the Evangelist describes the miracle on Mount Tabor; in verses fourteen and following of the same chapter he tells of a father bringing to Jesus his epileptic son, whom those Apostles who had stayed at the foot of the mountain had been unable to heal. Raphael did nothing more than strictly interpret the text of Saint Matthew. But, as he had gone more deeply than his forebears into the understanding of the Scriptures, it is quite natural that he portrayed them with a freedom and power unknown until then.

Saint Margaret c. 1518 Oil on poplar wood, 192 x 122 cm Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna

230

231

Thus up to his final hour he verified tradition through his personal study. Transfiguration was still in the studio when Raphael died. Vasari tells how this final masterpiece was placed next to the funeral bed, and that everyone present burst into sobs at seeing this work, so full of life, next to the lifeless body of its creator. Raphael’s Last Years After the accession of Leo X, Raphael’s reputation had grown to the point that the most powerful crowned heads were vying for the slightest study from his brush.

The Holy Family Meeting the Infant Saint John, known as The Madonna del Passeggio Oil and gold on panel, 90 x 63.3 cm National Galleries of Scotland 232

233

Leo X set a new standard for thoughtlessness by loading the artist up with commissions. Raphael was obliged to satisfy his every whim, lowering himself, for example, to the point of painting, life-size, the elephant sent to the Pope by the King of Portugal. Even worse, he was forced to serve as the instrument in political intrigues, such as depicting François I as Charlemagne, or painting Saint Michael and The Holy Family for Lorenzo de’ Medici to give to the French monarch in 1518.

The Holy Family of the Oak Tree c. 1518 Oil on wood, 144 x 110 cm Museo nacional del Prado, Madrid

234

In studying Raphael’s relationships with his pupils, it is hard to say where the role of the teacher ended and where that of the friend began. Raphael’s school in reality became his family; it shared his affection, was let in on his secrets, and, on occasion, knew enough to turn a blind eye to the weaknesses of the great man. The story of Raphael’s last moments and his sudden death is still quite obscure. What is certain is that if the young master’s death had been hastened by excesses, they were above all excesses of work.

The Holy Family, known as La Perla c. 1518 Oil on wood, 147.4 x 116 cm Museo nacional del Prado, Madrid

236

The strongest constitution could not have borne up under so prodigious a labour, one which he was obliged to repeat every day. Illness took him quickly. On the 20th of March Raphael promised the envoy of the Duke of Ferrara sketches for fireplaces. On the 24th of March he signed the purchase agreement for the lands of Saint Blasius. On the 6th of April he was gone. Everything leads us to believe that he was taken by one of those pernicious fevers so frequent in Rome.

Double Portrait c. 1516 Oil on canvas, 77 x 111 cm Galleria Doria Pamphilj, Rome

238

239

As for the version given by the overly careless Missirini, according to which Raphael was stricken by pleurisy for having run too fast to the Vatican when summoned by Leo X, it is unworthy of credence. From the first days of his illness, anxiety was great at the pontifical court. The Pope, it is said, sent messengers at least six times to ask for news of the patient and to lavish consolations upon him. As rapidly as the disease progressed, however, Raphael still had the strength necessary to put his affairs in order.

Portrait of the Artist with a Friend c. 1519 Oil on canvas, 99 x 83 cm Musée du Louvre, Paris

240

His will gives us one last example of the refined perceptiveness of his sentiments, of the spirit of equity and of benevolence behind even his slightest gestures. He forgot none of his friends and consistently left the bequest most appropriate to the tastes or needs of each. Raphael died on Good Friday, his birthday, between nine and ten o’clock in the evening. He was exactly thirty-seven years old. The mourning was immense in Rome and in all of Italy. Leo X wept inconsolably.

La Fornarina 1520 Oil on wood, 87 x 63 cm Palazzo Barberini, Galleria Nazionale d’Arte Antica, Rome

242

243

People of the time were struck by the fact that this sudden death coincided with the appearance of cracks in the Loggia of the Vatican, and took it to be a divine portent. “These days,” wrote a contemporary, “the Pope’s palace has threatened to collapse and His Holiness has had to move into the apartment of Cardinal Cibo. It is said that it is not the weight of the additional storey of galleries which caused this accident, but that it must be seen as a premonition of the death of the one who decorated them.”

Madonna and Child, known as The Hertz Madonna c. 1520 Oil on wood, 36 x 30.5 cm Palazzo Barberini, Galleria Nazionale d’Arte Antica, Rome 244

Inspiration and hard work shared equally in the triumphs of this short, yet full career. Until his final hour Sanzio never stopped searching and struggling. The decadence was consummated the day his followers substituted ready-made solutions for the passionate inventiveness of which he had given them the example. Nor had his inspiration ever weakened; The Battle of Constantine and Transfiguration can compare, for their grandeur of thought and powerful style, with the most lively and vigorous works from Raphael’s youth.

The Holy Family with Saint John, known as The Madonna of the Rose c. 1520 Oil on canvas, 103 x 84 cm Museo nacional del Prado, Madrid 246

List of Illustrations A The Alba Madonna Allegory, known as The Vision of a Knight Angel Holding a Phylactery (fragment of the Baronci Altarpiece) Apollo and Marsyas

137 25 9 109

C The Cardinal

133

Cardinal and Theological Virtues and the Law

127

Cherub Flying Holding Flowers

157

Cherub Holding a Tablet

135

Christ Carrying the Cross

207

The Christ’s Charge to Peter

189

Conversion of the Proconsul

199

The Council of the Gods

217

Crowning of Charlemagne

185

The Crowning of the Virgin, known as The Monteluce Madonna

248

67

The Crowning of the Virgin (Oddi Altarpiece)

17

The Crucified Christ with the Virgin Mary, Saints and Angels (The Mond Crucifixion)

11

D Death of Ananias

201

Disputation over the Most Holy Sacrament

119

Double Portrait

239

E Eight Nude Men besieging Perugia

43

The Entombment, known as The Borghese Deposition

83

Expulsion of Heliodorus from the Temple

141

F Fire in the Borgo

179

Four Sibyls

175

G God the Father and the Symbols of the Sun and of the Seven Planets

205

249

H Head and shoulders of a woman, in three-quarter profile facing left, with folded arms

39

Head of a Boy with a Cap

15

Healing of the Lame Man

197

Hebe and Proserpina

213

The Holy Family, known as La Perla

237

The Holy Family, known as The Great Holy Family of Francis I

229

Holy Family in the Countryside with Saint John the Baptist, Saint Anne and Saint Joachim, known as Holy Family with the Pomegranate

97

The Holy Family Meeting the Infant Saint John, known as The Madonna del Passeggio

233

The Holy Family of the Oak Tree

235

The Holy Family with a Palm Tree

81

Holy Family with Beardless Saint Joseph

61

Holy Family with Raphael, Tobias and Saint Jerome, known as The Madonna with a Fish

169

The Holy Family with Saint John, known as The Madonna of the Rose

247

The Holy Family with the Infant Saint John the Baptist

165

The Holy Family with the Lamb 250

85

J/F/L Justice

115

La Fornarina

243

Leda and the Swan

89

M The Madonna and Child and Saint John, known as The Madonna of the Chair or Madonna della Seggiola (or Sedia)

173

The Madonna and Child Enthroned with Saint John the Baptist and Saint Nicholas of Bari, known as Madonna Ansidei The Madonna and Child Enthroned with Saints (Colonna Altarpiece)

51 31

Madonna and Child Enthroned with Saints, known as The Madonna of the Canopy

101

Madonna and Child, known as Granduca Madonna

63

Madonna and Child, known as Little Cowper Madonna

53

Madonna and Child, known as The Bridgewater Madonna

93

Madonna and Child, known as The Conestabile Madonna

29

Madonna and Child, known as The Hertz Madonna

245

Madonna and Child, known as The Large Niccolini-Cowper Madonna

107 251

Madonna and Child, known as The Tempi Madonna

99

The Madonna and Child, Saint John and two Saints, known as Madonna dell'Impannata

147

The Madonna and Child with a Book

13

Madonna and Child with an Angel and the Infant Saint John, known as Madonna Terranuova

49

The Madonna and Child with the Infant Saint John, known as The Madonna of the Veil or The Madonna with a Blue Diadem

151

The Madonna and Child with the Infant Saint John the Baptist, known as La Belle Jardinière

95

The Madonna and Child with the Infant Saint John the Baptist, known as The Garvagh Madonna

129

The Madonna d'Orleans

79

Madonna dei Garofani, known as The Madonna of the Pinks

77

The Madonna della Tenda

171

The Madonna, Joseph and Elizabeth with the Infant Jesus and John the Baptist, known as The Canigiani Holy Family

103

The Madonna Nursing the Child, Seated in the Countryside, known as The Sergardi Madonna

105

Madonna of Foligno

145

Madonna of Loreto, known as The Madonna of the Veil

131

The Madonna of the Goldfinch 252

69

Madonna of the Meadow, known as Belvedere Madonna

59

The Marriage of the Virgin

23

Mass of Bolsena

149

The Meeting of Leo the Great and Attila

161

The Miraculous Draught of Fishes

187

N Nude Man seated playing the Lira da Braccio (Study for Apollo in the Parnassus at right, detail of the arm and of the instrument)

123

P Page of Studies

177

Parnassus

125

Philosophy

111

Poetry

113

Portrait of a Woman, known as La Donna Gravida

65

Portrait of a Woman, known as La Muta

87

Portrait of a Woman, known as La Velata

163

Portrait of a Young Boy

195

Portrait of a Young Man Holding an Apple

27

Portrait of a Young Woman, known as The Lady and the Unicorn

71 253

Portrait of Agnolo Doni

55

Portrait of Baldassare Castiglione

183

Portrait of Bindo Altoviti

193

Portrait of Elisabetta Gonzaga

21

Portrait of Leo X with Cardinals Giulio de’ Medici and Luigi de’ Rossi

215

Portrait of Lorenzo de’ Medici, Duke of Urbino

221

Portrait of Maddalena Doni

57

Portrait of Pietro Bembo

33

Portrait of Pope Julius II

143

Portrait of the Artist with a Friend

241

Portrait of the Doge Leonardo Loredan

37

Portrait of Tommaso “Fedra” Inghirami

139

The Prophet Isaiah

155

S The Sacrifice at Lystria Saint Catherine of Alexandria Saint Cecilia

191 91 181

Saint George and the Dragon

73

Saint George and the Dragon, known as The Small Saint George

41

Saint Margaret 254

225, 231

Saint Michael and the Demon, known as The Small Saint Michael

19

Saint Michael Slaying the Demon

227

Saint Michael Slaying the Demon, known as The Large Saint Michael

223

Saint Paul Preaching in Athens

203

School of Athens

121

Self-Portrait

75

Sistine Madonna

159

Standard Bearer

47

Study for the Disputation over the Most Holy Sacrament

117

Study for The Madonna with a Fish

167

T The Three Graces

35

Transfiguration

211

Triumph of Galatea

153

V/W Venus, Ceres and Juno

219

The Vision of Ezekiel

209

Warrior on Horseback with a Shield

45 255