Birth and Death of Raphael 04-06

April 6th marks the birth and death of the famous Italian painter Raphael. Born in Urbino, Raphael along with Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci is characterized as a master of art and architecture during the Italian Renaissance. Even though Raphael died at the age of 37, he produced many masterpieces in his short life. Raphael began as an apprentice to the Perugino whose style influenced Raphael's early work. He then began to work in Florence and surrounding cities in northern Italy. There he studied the works of the master Leonardo da Vinci. While Raphael learned the Florentine style of art, he was able to integrate it with his own personal style of soft colors and tranquil scenes. Raphael was called to Rome in 1508 by Pope Julius II and was commissioned to paint a cycle of frescoes in the papal apartments. Today these are known as Raphael's rooms or the stanze and are part of the Vatican museums. These rooms house famous paintings such as the School of Athens. The painting is a depiction of Greek philosophers centering on Plato and Aristotle. Another painting in the room is the Disputation of the Holy Sacrament depicting the church triumphant gathered around Christ above the church militant also gathered around Christ in the Eucharist. A more secular work of Raphael is the Triumph of Galatia which was completed while he was in Rome. However, Raphael may be most known for his painting of the Transfiguration. Commissioned in 1517, the Transfiguration was Raphael's last masterpiece. Raphael left the altarpiece unfinished at the time of his death in 1520 but it was completed by his student Giulio Romano. Visitors and pilgrims to Rome can see the rooms of Raphael as well as the Transfiguration and others that are held in the Vatican museums.