Most people around the world have heard of Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci, who are both considered to be among the greatest artists that ever lived. And while these two are generally regarded as the most prominent artists from the European High Renaissance era, for most of the last 500 years, Raphael was considered the greatest artist of his time, and easily comparable to his counterparts from the same era.
Raphael was an artist, inventor, and architect that was most well known for the creation of his Madonnas, as well as the figure compositions, one of which can be found within the Vatican in Rome. He lived a fascinating life that was akin to both Michelangelo and da Vinci, and was famous across the land even back then. Here we will look at Raphael’s life and his contributions to society.
Who He Was
His first claim to fame was being the apprentice of master Perugino in 1504, and he lived within Florence where he started to perfect his creations. This is also where he began to paint his famous Madonnas, many of which are around today and consdiered as truly priceless. Not long after he would move to Rome, where he would paint a number of frescoes around the Vatican, including the Stanza della Segnatura, which is widely regarded as one of the best pieces within the holy city. He was hired by Pope Julius II as the chief architect, and this was a time that he was completing his Madonna serious, including the Sistine Madonna, arguably his most famous work of all time.
His Architecture
Along with being a master artist and skilful with just about any medium that he picked up, Raphael was also an architect that contributed many designs and buildings, particularly to the Vatican. Some of the buildings that he was responsible for designing and building include the Santa Maria del Popolo Chapel as well as the area that can be found within Saint Peter’s Basilica.
He did not just limit himself to religious buildings, however, and more than a handful of structures throughout the city of Rome can be attributed to this famous artist. His architectural style, which was influenced heavily by classic Rome, had a major influence on world architecture at the time, and can still be felt today, from television shows, buildings, and even on games like those at https://canadiangambling.net.
Raphael’s Legacy
Unlike his two main counterparts, Raphael did not live a long and prosperous life, dying at the young age of just 37 on the 6th of April 1520. No one is truly sure how he died, and his death has remained something of a mystery that remains to be solved to this day. He was busy with a number of commissions during the time of his death, and some speculate that it was a sudden disease that took his life so quickly. There was a mass funeral held, and although he died early, his creations would later go on to influence the Baroque style that would become popular throughout Italy and much of the world.
