On April 6, 1483 in Urbino, Italy, Raffaello Sanzio was born to Giovanni Santi, a painter by trade. Raphael learned the rudimentary painting tactics form his father, and after his death, took over the family workshop, where he gained reputation as "one of the finest painters in town." Soon he caught the interest of Pietro Vannucci (Perugino) who enlisted him as an apprentice ("Raphael"). Four years later, with new skills and a style of his own, he moved to Florence, where he first experienced the works of renaissance celebrities such as Fra Bartolommeo, Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo and Masaccio ("Raphael"). Inspired by this new style, Raphael began painting series of Madonnas, intricately assimilating his style with others' ("Raphael" encyclopedia).
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Analysts believe this to be the influence of high renaissance leaders, prompting the nickname, "younger contemporary of Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo" (Tower). After moving to Florence the young artist's eyes were opened to the superior style of painting. Leonardo Da Vinci's artworks particularly moved Raphael, and, over the next three years, he implemented and expanded Leonardo’s ideas by drawing a series of Madonnas. Although he adopted some of Leonardo’s techniques, such as the sfumato modeling and the pyramidal composition, his own unique style - clarity - derived from the influences of his father and Perugino were not lost ("Raphael" encyclopedia). In fact, recent studies have found that Raphael's father, Giovanni Santi, till now dismissed as insignificant, might have made immense contribution to Raphael's life. At the time Raphael's, his town, Urbino, had become one of the intellectual centers of Italy, attracting many artists and literati from around the world. Undoubtedly, Giovanni, being a painter, received many of them, giving the young artist chance to interact with brilliant minds of the time (Morris). Influences of this town prevail not only in Raphael's philosophical fresco cycles, but also his paintings. In fact, the scenery of The Small Cowper Madonna depicts Urbino countryside, with the local church, San Bernardino on the lower left hand side …show more content…
The Small Cowper Madonna especially represents these qualities; Giovanni Morelli once called it " ' the most lovely of all Raphael's Madonnas' " (Tower). Painted in 1505, just after the move to Florence, analysts regard this piece as the perfect blend of his old style and the new influences: while the mood and the style from Perugino's shop are evident, a more sophisticated engagement and balance between the figures and their environment, a trademark of Leonardo da Vinci, also unveils. The sensuality of this painting comes from the figures' expressions: Modonna's knowing gaze towards their future and the child's resolute one arouses fidelity and subtle understanding to the painting's deeper meaning ("Raphael's Madonnas"). This picture of sorrow and sacrifice embodies "serenity and indefinable sense of inner peace" and induces the comment, "glorious, and, in many ways, heartbreakingly beautiful" (Tower and
Analysts believe this to be the influence of high renaissance leaders, prompting the nickname, "younger contemporary of Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo" (Tower). After moving to Florence the young artist's eyes were opened to the superior style of painting. Leonardo Da Vinci's artworks particularly moved Raphael, and, over the next three years, he implemented and expanded Leonardo’s ideas by drawing a series of Madonnas. Although he adopted some of Leonardo’s techniques, such as the sfumato modeling and the pyramidal composition, his own unique style - clarity - derived from the influences of his father and Perugino were not lost ("Raphael" encyclopedia). In fact, recent studies have found that Raphael's father, Giovanni Santi, till now dismissed as insignificant, might have made immense contribution to Raphael's life. At the time Raphael's, his town, Urbino, had become one of the intellectual centers of Italy, attracting many artists and literati from around the world. Undoubtedly, Giovanni, being a painter, received many of them, giving the young artist chance to interact with brilliant minds of the time (Morris). Influences of this town prevail not only in Raphael's philosophical fresco cycles, but also his paintings. In fact, the scenery of The Small Cowper Madonna depicts Urbino countryside, with the local church, San Bernardino on the lower left hand side …show more content…
The Small Cowper Madonna especially represents these qualities; Giovanni Morelli once called it " ' the most lovely of all Raphael's Madonnas' " (Tower). Painted in 1505, just after the move to Florence, analysts regard this piece as the perfect blend of his old style and the new influences: while the mood and the style from Perugino's shop are evident, a more sophisticated engagement and balance between the figures and their environment, a trademark of Leonardo da Vinci, also unveils. The sensuality of this painting comes from the figures' expressions: Modonna's knowing gaze towards their future and the child's resolute one arouses fidelity and subtle understanding to the painting's deeper meaning ("Raphael's Madonnas"). This picture of sorrow and sacrifice embodies "serenity and indefinable sense of inner peace" and induces the comment, "glorious, and, in many ways, heartbreakingly beautiful" (Tower and