Raphael's 5 Most Famous Paintings - World History Edu (2023)

Born Raffaello Sanzio of Urbino, Raphael was a High Renaissance artist whose works are considered by many to epitomize Renaissance artistic ingenuity. Raphael's paintings are best known for combining elegance and style in such an impressive way that they bring the motifs to life, so to speak.

Raphael Sanzio was a prolific artist considering he died at the age of 30. Because of his immense influence on the art world, he is often placed in the trinity of great masters of the Italian High Renaissance. The other two great masters were the geniuses Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo.

By incorporating the styles and techniques of these two great artists, Raphael was able to create one famous masterpiece after another, including theresurrection of Christ,the school of Athensand many others.

Raphael's best paintings

Worldhistoryedu.com presents the 5 most famous paintings by Raphael, a genius who had a graceful way of depicting emotions in spectacular detail.

the school of Athens(1511)

the school of AthensIt is possibly Raphael's most famous painting. In the art world, it occupies a prominent place along with masterpieces like thisfinal verdict(by Michelangelo) andThe last supper(by Leonardo da Vinci) as one of the most famous paintings of all time. This painting, painted between 1508 and 1511, is one of the four frescoes painted by Raphael in the Vatican's Apostolic Palace.

The painting, found within the walls of Stanze di Raffaello, depicts some of the most famous people of the ancient Greek era, includingPlato, Aristotle and Pythagoras. Raffael consciously chose the bestancient Greek philosophers, astronomers, ethicists, thinkers and mathematicians of the time to convey the intellectual feats of his time.

Although the compartments inthe school of AthensLiving in different eras of the classical period of ancient Greece, Raphael tries to depict them sharing their thoughts and interacting with each other in the same space. For example, by placing Plato and Aristotle at the center of the painting, Raphael pays a tremendous tribute to the two great philosophers and their enormous influence on Western civilization and philosophy. Raphael is a very religious man himselfthe school of AthensHe also learns about the influence these ancient Greek thinkers had on Western religion, especially Christianity.

did you know:by Raphaelthe school of AthensWas it just one of the many spectacular frescoes he painted on the walls of the upper floor of the Vatican's Apostolic Palace?

Disputation of the Holy of Holies(1510)

Raphael finished theDisputation of the Holy of Holies, also known asdispute, in 1510. This painting, begun about 1508, was the first major portion of Raphael's frescoes used to decorate the Stanze della Segnatura (now commonly known as the Stanza di Raffaello) for the Vatican. The painting was very important as it gave the painter an amazing career in the art world.

The Vatican commissioned Raphael to create a series of paintings for Pope Julius II's Stanza della SegnaturaDisputation of the Holy of HoliesIt is part of four frescoes painted in the Pope's rooms, where the Pope met important dignitaries and signed documents, hence the name "Signature Room". As such, Raphael chose subjects of theology, philosophy, poetry and law to support what the private rooms were about.

did you know: These frescoes in the Stanze di Raffaello are sometimes namedGeistwhich translates to "paintings occupying a rounded surface"?

To produce such a beautiful masterpiece, Raffael made brilliant use of the available space. The painting shows the Church in relation to earthly and heavenly beings. The subjects of the paintings are divided into two areas, with Christ appearing almost in the middle. Christ is surrounded by a halo and is seated on his throne. Behind Christ is God the Father, while the Virgin Mary and John the Baptist are seated on either side of Christ. In the background of Christ are a significant number of Church saints, apostles and martyrs, including Saint Peter, Saint Stephen,moisesand Santiago. Directly under Christ's feet seem to be the Holy Spirit and the books of the four gospels.

The kingdom of the earth, which appears at the base of the painting, shows the images of people having a very lively discussion about the truths of theology, especially the Eucharist. Some of the characters sift through the books as if searching for divine truth. This theme of critical examination and constructive debate runs parallel to what classical Greek philosophers such as Plato and Socrates advocated.

Raphael consciously painted themdisputeOppositethe school of Athens, which is an allegory of philosophy (science). The last fresco shows science in a closed building, a symbol of how Raphael believed science. However thedisputeit is shown without any kind of enclosure to show how boundless theology can be.

Portrait of Baldassare Castiglione(1515)

Completed in 1515, thePortrait of Baldassare Castiglioneis an oil painting depicting one of Raphael's closest friends, Baldassare Castiglione (1478 - 1529). The portrait was so famous that it became the standard for self-portraits, as the style and technique was used by artists such as Rembrandt, Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingress, Titian and Matisse.

Who was Baldassare Castiglione? Baldassare was a prominent Italian soldier, diplomat and author of the Renaissance era. Raphael paid tribute to the relationship between him and Baldassare with this magnificent portrait.

Did you know:One of Raphael's studentsRoman Julius, 1529, the year Baldassare died, designed a monument to Baldassare?

The transformation(1520)

Raphael's paintingsTransfiguration,it was painted between 1516 and 1520. This painting is packed with religious themes and is considered one of Raphael's most famous paintings. It was also one of the last works of art he worked on before he died in 1520.

Istransfiguration, measuring 159 inches by 109 inches, was commissioned by Cardinal Giulio de Medici (later Pope Clement VII) for Narbonne Cathedral in France. Although Raphael preferred to paint his masterpieces on canvas, he chose to painttransfigurationIn wood.

Istransfigurationit shows Christ floating or exalted on illuminated clouds and flanked by two Old Testament prophets, Elijah and Moses. Also in the background are three apostles: James, John and Peter. To the left of these apostles are Saints Justus and Pastoi. It should be noted that these two saints celebrate their feast on August 6th, the day of the Transfiguration. However, there have been some claims that the saints in the painting are Saint Agapito and Saint Felicissimus, both of whom were martyred.

At the bottom of the painting, the apostles gather around a sickly looking child as they await Christ's return. The boy, believed by many to be possessed by demons, is eventually healed at Christ's coming. The Transfiguration, therefore, carries the theme of Christ's power over spiritual things.

There have been some historians who have claimed that Raphael was unable to complete ittransfigurationbefore he died. Many claim that the completion of the painting fell to Raphael's pupil Giulio Romano.

did you know: IstransfigurationThe portrait was confiscated and preserved in France between 1797 and 1815 when it was brought back to Italy after Napoleon's death. Today the painting is kept in the Vatican Museums.

Sistine Madonna(1514)

Another very famous painting by Raffaello Sanzio from Urbino is theSistine Madonna.This painting shows the Virgin carrying the baby Jesus in her lap in a very warm way. The facial expressions of both the Virgin and the Child Jesus are absolutely amazing. On either side of the Virgin you can see two very important saints: San Sixto and Santa Bárbara.

And right at the foot of the painting is an image of two winged angels, an image that is undoubtedly the most famous angel of modern times and has been reproduced on everything from clothing, playing cards, postcards to gift wrap.

There are many misty putti figures in the background of the painting. It has been said that Raphael was inspired to paint these angelic figures by the children who lived around him.

There are a number of stories about how Raphael created this beautiful masterpiece of his. Some stories claim that Raphael was inspired by the divine to paint the masterpiece; while another popular legend says that theSistine MadonnaIt makes those who think about it immense religious ecstasy and out of this world.

Painted in 1514, theSistine MadonnaIt is considered one of Raphael's last paintings as he died in 1520 at the age of 37. Like many other paintings by Raphael, this painting was commissioned by Pope Julius II in 1512. It measures 265cm by 196cm. , heSistine Madonnait was intended to serve as an altarpiece for the Church of San Sisto Piacenza in Piacenza, Italy. After remaining in the church for more than four decades, the Sistine Madonna was sold to herKing August III from Poland(1696 – 1763) in 1754 for around 110,000 francs.

WhileSecond World War, IsSistine Madonnait was saved at the last moment, at least it would have been destroyed when Dresden was bombed. Moscow then became the new home of the paintings. However, after the death of Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin, the painting returned to Germany, where it remains to this day as one of the most famous paintings in Dresden's Old Masters Picture Gallery.

did you know: by RaphaelSistine Madonnais it just one of the many paintings in Raphael's series of Madonnas? Other famous paintings in Raphael's Madonna series areJungfrau von Baldaquino,madonna and child enthroned with saints,Jungfrau des Stieglitz,Virgin of Loreto, etc.

Other famous masterpieces by Raffaello Sanzio de Urbino

• Christ falls on the way to Calvary(1514-1516)

• Portrait of Pope Julius II(a 1511)

• the deposition(1507)

• Raphael self-portrait(a 1503)

• Galateas Triumph(1514)

Raffaello Sanzio de Urbino: Basisdaten

Full name:Raffael Sanzio of Urbino

Birthday:March 28 or April 6, 1843

Place of birth:Urbino, Duchy of Urbino

Deceased:6. April 1520

Place of death: Rome, Papal States

Cause of death:naturally occurring disease

Tomb:Das Pantheon, Roma

Parents:Giovanni Santi and the Magic of Giovanbattista Ciarla

Education and training:Mainly in Perugino's workshop

Inspired by:Miguel Angeland Leonardo da Vinci

art style:Hochrenaissance

Movement:Hochrenaissance

The most notable works:Sistine Madonna,transfiguration, Raphael Rooms,the school of Athens