Drawing - Raphael

Raphael

Raphael was born in Urbino, Italy on April 6, 1483.  His first teacher was his father, Giovanni Santi, an artist and writer who had written 23 books recording the deeds of Duke Federigo da Montefeltro, the duke of Urbino.  Raphael’s first art lessons were in the Duke’s palace, where he learned the innovative techniques of linear perspective from the paintings on the walls.  Linear perspective had first been used in Florence, but had quickly spread east to Urbino and then to other Renaissance towns.  Raphael’s father, recognizing his son’s talent at a young age, apprenticed 11 year old Raphael to Pietre Perugino, a successful artist from a nearby city.    

Raphael, though a devout atheist, painted some of the most famous religious scenes, including his multiple works depicting the Madonna.  He is also known for the figure compositions and work he did in the Vatican.  He did this work for the church out of a love for his art, and his understanding that the religious works were what was considered acceptable at the time.  Raphael also painted non religious based paintings, including The School of Athens, which decorated on wall of the Stanza della Segnatura in the Vatican in Rome.  This work illustrates Philosophy, and captured many great ancient philosophers

including: Plato, Socrates, Aristotle, Euclid, Epicurus, Ptolemy, & Pythagoras.  

Raphael was famous for his application of linear perspective, foreshortening, and his uncanny ability to capture figures in contradicting motions which gave them a sense of movement.  This can be seen in his paintings of St George Fighting the Dragon.  He was able to adopt the innovations of other artists into his own work, so much so at times that there have been debates as to who is the true originator of a particular work.  Raphael learned from both Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo, as well as numerous other painters and sculptors.  Raphael’s medium of choice were oil based paints though he also carved statues out of stone.