Raphael Sanzio's Influence On The Italian Renaissance

From the 1300’s to the 1600’s, creativity erupted in Europe, known as the Renaissance, meaning “new birth” in the French language. Passion for literature, learning, and art emerged in Florence, Italy and spread throughout the continent. Cities became wealthy through trade and began to fund artists who would create pieces of architecture for them in return. The most famous supporters were the Medici Family. Although there were many great figures who had influenced the renaissance, Raphael Sanzio was one of the few who had a greater impact on the artistic time period. “Italian Renaissance painter and architect Raphael was born Raffaello Sanzio on April 6, 1483, in Urbino, Italy”. At a young age, his father, Giovanni Santi taught him basic painting skills, which he would successfully use to become the finest painter in town after his dad’s death. He had begun his career as an artist in his hometown, and after sharing a partnership in central Italy, Raphael moved to Florence “where he was heavily influenced by the works of the Italian painters Fra Bartolommeo, Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo and Masaccio” . By studying these artists, Sanzio had been inspired to develop his own personal style. For the last …show more content…
The Sistine Madonna. “What beauty, innocence and sadness in that heavenly countenance, what humility and suffering in those eyes. Among the ancient Greeks the powers of the divine were expressed in the marvellous Venus de Milo; the Italians, however, brought forth the true Mother of God - The Sistine Madonna.” It is a work of religious art that represents the Madonna, the Christ Child, Saint Sixtus, Saint Barbara and the two Cherubs. Pope Julius II requested that it be made in honor of his late uncle, and installed on the high altar of the Benedictine abbey church of San Sisto (St. Sixtus) in