Bologna discovers its importance in the 15th and 16th centuries thanks to an exhibition focusing on Pope Julius II, Raphael and the Bolognese Renaissance.
Thanks to an exceptional loan, a masterpiece of art history arrives in the city, creating an opportunity to reconsider Bologna as a not secondary protagonist of the Renaissance.
Raffaello Sanzio: Ritratto di papa Giulio II, 1511-1512, Tavola, cm 108×80,7. Londra, National Gallery
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 the work that is in London.
Raphael’s portrait of Pope Julius II: analysis and trivia
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 about the true identity of Raphael’s young woman, but in this post I tell you about the events that have made this work even more fascinating and reveal where you can see it today.
Raphael’s Young Woman
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 of a masterpiece.
Deposition by Raphael
Raphael, The Marriage of the Virgin
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 The Marriage of the Virgin by Raphael
