In just two decades, Raphael Sanzio reached the podium of greatness with his painting. This essential work on the master we know simply as Raphael presents the mastery of figure, form and space that earned him a place not only in the trinity of Renaissance eminences alongside Michelangelo and Leonardo, but also among the most valued artists of all time.

Divine forms

The heavenly refinement and human grandeur of a Renaissance master

In the history of art, only the most revered masters tend to be called by their first names. The Renaissance painter and architect Raphael Sanzio (1483-1520) is one of them. The man we know simply as Raphael has been hailed for centuries as a sublime Renaissance artist, and some even consider him superior to his equally famous contemporaries, also known by their first names, Leonardo and Michelangelo.
Between 1500 and 1508, Raphael worked throughout central Italy, especially in Florence, where he established his reputation as a painter of beautiful portraits and virgins, archetypal icons associated with the Catholic faith. In 1508, Pope Julius II summoned him to Rome, where he would later embark on an ambitious mural painting for the Vatican's Stanza della Segnatura.The School of Athens, Raphael's work inside this room, is considered a paragon of the High Renaissance, a work that fuses classical philosophy with perfect spatial perspective, animated figures and masterfully balanced composition.
This indispensable introduction examines how in just two decades of artistic career, Raphael achieved greatness of legendary dimensions. Featuring highlights from his prolific output, this book reflects the mastery of figure and form that earned him a prominent place not only in the trinity of Renaissance eminences alongside Michelangelo and Leonardo, but also among the most valued artists of all time.

About the author

Christof Thoenes (1928-2018) studied art history in Berlin and Pavia before completing his doctorate in the German capital. Thoenes was an honorary professor in Hamburg and worked for many years for the Bibliotheca Hertziana (Max Planck Institute) in Rome. He contributed to numerous publications on Italian art, especially on architecture and architectural theory from the 15th to the 18th centuries.

Publisher: Taschen