Raphael Research Paper

For years Raphael has been known as one of the best Renaissance artists of all time. He was, “more versatile than Michelangelo, and more prolific than the older Leonardo”(“Raphael”). Born in Urbino, Italy in 1482, Raffaello Sanzio (a.k.a Raphael) was born into an artistic family. His father was a well known court painter. Becoming an orphan at the age of twelve, Raphael lived as an apprentice and work on his art skills. Raphael is considered one of the greatest greatest artists during the Renaissance because of his many paintings at an early age, his wonderful frescoes in the Vatican, and his beautiful madonnas and art schools. Raphael displayed his abilities at a early age by completing stunning early works, and surpassing experienced …show more content…
These paintings include the four genres of thinking on four walls of a room. On the west wall, the first genre of thinking displayed is the realm of Theology known as the Disputation of the Holy Sacrament. This painting depicts Jesus preaching from heaven and God above him. Many angels are depicted flying with music. On Earth it displayed many people at the altar reading the Bible and looking up to heaven. This depicts the importance of Jesus’ teachings on the Earth, as the people worshiped and read the Bible at the altar Jesus is seen preaching to them with a choir of angels. It shows how much Christians rely on Jesus in the church. The North wall depicts the genre of poetry, known as the Parnassus. This fresco depicts many famous poets sitting on a Greek mountain above the city of Delphi. Apollo, the god of poetry, is seen in the center playing a nine string violin. This painting is an example of the rebirth of interest in the classics. It displays Raphael’s respect for other theologies and knowledge of ancient Greece. On the East Wall the genre of philosophy, the School of Athens, is displayed. In the center the famous philosophers Plato, on the left, and Aristotle, on the right, are depicted. On the left side of the room the famous philosophers that are interested in the heavens are depicted. On the right the famous philosophers that are interested in Earthly things. …show more content…
Raphael painted many sweet Madonna's, mothers, holding their children. By painting these Madonnas, Raphael created a new genre of painting. His style, influenced by Michelangelo and Leonardo, showed the mother’s defined features, and the displayed the age of the children prominently. “He produced a number of significant altarpieces, including The Ecstasy of St Cecilia.” These altarpieces display, Raphael’s significance in the church. Even though he lived in a world interested in the classics, Raphael still sought God and worshiped him in the construction of altarpieces and paintings of Mary, including, The Marriage of the Virgin. Raphael also opened art schools and taught young painters proper techniques and skills in the art of painting. These schools heavily influenced upcoming painters in their styles, genres, and skills. This shows Raphael’s acknowledgement of painters without masters, as he had no one to help him master his elite skills. Raphael was a good teacher but he was also a person, “who could inspire his fellow pupils to greater standards. He had one of the largest art schools in Rome, with over 50 pupils. His enthusiasm and talent helped his school become a famous place of art”(“Raphael Biography” Web). This goes to show that Raphael was excellent not just in his famous works, but succeeded in many other smaller areas of his