Raphael

Raphael was one of the three great masters of the Italian Renaissance, along with Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo. He was born in 1483 in the town of Urbino, Italy. Raphael was known for painting beautiful, calm, and perfectly balanced pictures. His people looked graceful and peaceful. Even though he died young at just 37 years old, he created some of the most beloved paintings in history.

A Young Talent

Raphael showed amazing talent from a very young age. His father was a painter and taught him to draw. By the time he was a teenager, Raphael was already as good as his teachers. He moved to Florence where he studied the work of Leonardo and Michelangelo. He learned from them and developed his own smooth, beautiful style. People loved his work and he got many important jobs.

Famous Paintings

Raphael's most famous painting is The School of Athens. It shows ancient Greek thinkers like Plato and Aristotle gathered in a grand building. It decorates a wall in the Vatican in Rome. Raphael also painted many beautiful pictures of Mary and baby Jesus called Madonnas. His Madonnas are known for their gentle, peaceful feeling. Raphael was so popular that he had a large team of helpers to finish all his projects.

Fun Facts

• Raphael painted The School of Athens on a wall in the Vatican at the same time Michelangelo was painting the Sistine Chapel nearby.
• Raphael put the faces of Leonardo and Michelangelo into his painting The School of Athens as a way to honor them.
• When Raphael died at age 37, all of Rome mourned, and he was buried in the Pantheon, an ancient Roman temple.

Did You Know?

Raphael secretly sneaked into the Sistine Chapel to see Michelangelo's unfinished ceiling, and it inspired him to change his own painting style!