{"id":31543,"date":"2018-07-14T09:57:22","date_gmt":"2018-07-14T08:57:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bestofrome.fr\/raphael-a-rome\/"},"modified":"2025-07-05T10:50:52","modified_gmt":"2025-07-05T09:50:52","slug":"raphael-in-rome-a-genius-of-the-renaissance","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bestofrome.fr\/en\/raphael-in-rome-a-genius-of-the-renaissance\/","title":{"rendered":"Raphael in Rome: a genius of the Renaissance"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Raphael and His Art<\/h2>\n

Raffaello Sanzio<\/strong> (born April 6, 1483, in Urbino and died April 6, 1520, in Rome), more commonly known as Raphael<\/strong>, is one of the most iconic painters and architects of the Italian Renaissance. Rome<\/strong> was the city where he reached the peak of his fame. His work inspired entire generations, giving rise to the Mannerist<\/strong> school.<\/p>\n

His style is characterized by a subtle harmony between drawing and color, with neither overshadowing the other. The \u201cgrazia,\u201d or grace<\/em>, and the \u201cdolce maniera,\u201d or gentle manner<\/em>, that animate his compositions often contrast with the \u201cterribilit\u00e0,\u201d or stylistic power<\/em>, of Michelangelo. It was from his master, Perugino<\/strong>, that Raphael drew inspiration for the softness of his lines, while borrowing the modeling of figures from Michelangelo<\/strong> and the sfumato technique, which softens contours, from Leonardo da Vinci<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

\"autoportrait-de-raffaello-sanzio-et-ami-c1518-louvres-paris\"<\/a>

Self-portrait, c. 1518, Louvre (Paris)<\/p><\/div>\n

Raphael\u2019s Journey and Pictorial Works in Rome<\/h2>\n

Born in Urbino where he grew up, at the age of 20, he made his first trip to Rome in 1503, during which he visited the remains of antiquity and witnessed the election of Julius II, who would become his patron. From 1499 to 1504, he lived in Citt\u00e0 di Castello, Perugia, and the surrounding areas of Siena. Between 1504 and 1508, he settled in Florence, where he gained significant recognition. He then returned to Rome in 1508 to join a team of artists from across Italy, including Michelangelo, engaged in a vast project to renovate the Vatican and the city, initiated by Julius II, who called upon the greatest talents in the country.
\nHe remained in Rome until his death, passing away prematurely at the age of 37 on April 6, 1520. In accordance with his wishes, he was buried in the Pantheon in Rome, where his tomb remains today.<\/p>\n

Shortly after his arrival, Raphael was tasked with painting the Vatican apartments<\/strong>, creating masterpieces such as the Room of the Signature, the Room of Heliodorus, and the Room of the Fire in the Borgo, works that marked the beginning of the classicist period and foreshadowed Mannerism. Later, the banker Agostino Chigi entrusted him with the decoration of the Villa Farnesina<\/strong> (designed by Baldassare Peruzzi) between 1511 and 1518. There, he created the Triumph of Galatea, the fresco of the Loggia of Cupid and Psyche, and designed the decoration of a room illustrating the Stories of Alexander and Roxane (later executed by Sodoma). It was also during this period that Raphael painted the portrait of his beloved Margherita Luti, immortalized in the famous painting La Fornarina<\/em>, preserved in Rome at the Palazzo Barberini.<\/p>\n

During his Roman sojourn, he also innovated in the art of portraiture, including representations of the Virgin and Child in altarpieces. From 1518, he worked on the decoration of the Vatican Loggias, initiated by Bramante, producing remarkable works such as the Loggetta of Cardinal Bibbiena and the Loggia of Raphael. He also painted the Prophet Isaiah in the Basilica of Sant\u2019Agostino, as well as the fresco of the Sibyls and Angels at Santa Maria della Pace.
\nToday, several Roman galleries\u2014notably the Vatican Pinacoteca, the Doria Pamphilj Gallery, and the Borghese Gallery\u2014preserve many of his paintings (see below).<\/p>\n

Raphael in Roman Architecture<\/h2>\n

In parallel with his pictorial masterpieces, Raphael left a lasting mark on architecture. He was appointed head of the St. Peter\u2019s Basilica project in 1514, after Bramante\u2019s death, reinstating the idea of the original basilica\u2019s longitudinal body, integrating it into the cross designed by Bramante.
\nHe also designed the Palazzo Jacopo da Brescia and the Palazzo Alberini, and conceived the Chigi Chapel in Santa Maria del Popolo. He designed the Palazzo Vidoni Caffarelli, likely executed by his student Lorenzo Lotti. In 1520, he designed the Palazzo Branconio dell\u2019Aquila, his final project, which was later demolished to make way for Bernini\u2019s Colonnade in St. Peter\u2019s Square.<\/p>\n

Raphael\u2019s Works in Rome\u2019s Churches<\/h2>\n