Raphael

One of the works lost during World War II is The Portrait of a Young Man by Raphael Sanzio, one of the masters of the Italian Renaissance. The painting disappeared in 1945 during the chaos of the last days of World War II, and it was a great loss since this work is considered one […]

THE PORTRAIT OF POPE JULIUS II BY RAFFAELLO: ANALYSIS AND CURIOSITIES There are two versions of Raphael’s portrait of Julius II. The first is currently in London and was painted in 1511, while the second is in Italy, dated around 1512 and is kept in the Uffizi Gallery in Florence. In this post, I describe […]

WHO WAS RAFFAELLO’S YOUNG WOMAN AND WHERE TO SEE HER TODAY Who was actually Raphael’s young woman (La Muta) and why did the artist correct the work several times? This portrait has sparked scholarly speculation, prompted investigations in the archives and fuelled many stories, but still has not unravelled its mysteries. We know almost nothing […]

DEPOSITION BY RAPHAEL, ALSO KNOWN AS BORGHESE ENTOMBMENT: DESCRIPTION AND CURIOUS FACTS The Deposition by Raphael is one of the artist’s early masterpieces, painted before he moved to Rome, at the court of Pope Julius II, and before many other masterpieces such as the Madonna of the Chair or the Fornarina. In this post you’ll discover details and curious facts […]

THE MARRIAGE OF THE VIRGIN BY RAPHAEL: ANALYSIS AND MEANING What is the meaning of The Marriage of the Virgin by Raphael and why is it important to know it? This painting marks the final part of Raphael’s early period and the beginning of his artistic maturity. Here is what you need to know Analysis and meaning of […]

LA VELATA BY RAPHAEL: WHO THE WOMAN LOVED BY RAPHAEL WAS AND WHERE YOU CAN SEE THE PAINTING Who was the Velata by Raphael and why did he portray her? Is it true that she was the woman loved by the artist? There are many theories about the identity of the Velata by Raphael but only one […]

LA FORNARINA BY RAPHAEL: WHO SHE WAS AND WHERE TO ADMIRE THE PAINTING Which story does la Fornarina by Raphael tell and who is the young woman made immortal by this painting? Stories of any kind have circulated about this painting and for this reason this work has become legendary. We don’t know almost anything […]

MADONNA OF THE CHAIR BY RAPHAEL: CURIOUS FACTS AND DESCRIPTION OF THE PAINTING In the Madonna of the Chair Raphael describes one of the most delicate and tender scenes of all his artistic production. It seems that this painting emanates an infinite tenderness that I could hardly resist when I was in front of it and I exchanged […]

RAPHAEL ROOMS: 5 THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT THE ROOM OF THE SIGNATURA Have you ever seen Raphael Rooms? If you happened to be in front of the fresco “The School of Athens” or the “Deliverance of Saint Peter”, I am certain that you remained open-mouthed and looked upwards for a long time. It happened to […]

I’ve often been before the Self-Portrait by Raphael, never in the city housing it (Florence) but always on the occasion of exhibitions of various kinds. This self-portrait is charming and Raphael’s look is the sweetest you can imagine. In this post I’ll analyze the work and describe this painting, also thanks to some curiosities, but I’ll […]

RAPHAEL, THE LIFE AND THE WORKS: 5 THINGS TO KNOW Raphael’s life was short but totally devoted to art. He was a highly talented artist but he had an aptitude for business, in fact he managed his workshop like a firm hiring dozens of assistants able to create any kind of works. Raphael, life and […]