Rafael Sanzio: His Great Works And Where To Admire Them

Raphael Sanzio, better known as simply Raphael, was an Italian Renaissance painter and architect. In his work, we can highlight his important contributions to architecture. His style would be tirelessly imitated for years to come. In addition, he was interested in the study and conservation of vestiges of Greek and Roman origin.

The figure of Rafael Sanzio

Due to his balanced classicism, based on the perfection of light, the reigning harmony of his compositions or the mastery of perspective, many experts consider his work one of the most important within the aesthetic ideals of the Renaissance,  along with those of Leonardo. da Vinci and Miguel Ángel Buonarrotti,.

Besides all this, Rafael was also a great poet. Many believe that the sensitivity with which he approached the subjects both in his paintings and in his writings was part of the legacy of his father, a painter to the Montefeltro court in Urbino.

His technical and intellectual gifts could be fully developed thanks to the fact that he moved in the highest spheres of Urbino, Florence and Rome, and also thanks to his incredible gift of people.

He died at the age  of 37 for causes that to this day are not entirely clear. What is certain is that with his untimely death, history has lost great works of art.

His most important works and where to see them

As we said, the works of Rafael Sanzio are among the most significant in the history of art. Practically everyone knows The School of Athens  or The Transfiguration . Next, we take a short tour of his work and where to admire it.

The school of Athens

We could not begin our synthesis of the most important works of Raphael with any other than the famous School of Athens. It shows the most important philosophers, scientists and mathematicians of the classical era. In it we can see Plato, Socrates, Aristotle, Pythagoras, Heraclitus or Hypatia of Alexandria, among others.

The fresco was part of a commission to decorate the rooms of the Apostolic Palace in Vatican City. Today, the “Raphael Rooms” are part of the Vatican Museums.

As a curiosity, we can point out that in the fresco we can also see the painter Miguel Ángel. This figure was added by Raphael after seeing the works of the first in the vault of the Sistine Chapel. As a sign of respect, he drew him. In addition, it avoids a great vacuum in that area of ​​the fresco.

But we also meet Rafael himself.  It is located to the right of the fresco, depicted in a young man with brown hair who watches another man playing.

The Transfiguration

The second of Raphael Sanzio’s works that we are going to focus on is The Transfiguration . It is considered the last work of the artist. In fact, he left it unfinished when he died and is believed to have been completed by one of his disciples, Giulo Romano. This work is a summary of the artistic evolution of Rafael.

The painting, which tells a story belonging to the Gospel of Saint Matthew, consists of two well differentiated parts. The upper part shows the transfiguration of Jesus Christ on Mount Tabor. Christ is found between the prophets Moses and Elijah.

On the ground are, scared, the disciples Pedro, Santiago and Juan. In the lower part, the apostles can be seen trying to free a child. He could be possessed or having an epileptic seizure. They were unable to heal the boy, until Jesus arrives and works the miracle.

Currently, this work can be admired in the Pinacoteca Vaticana, inside the Vatican Museums.

Other works

Beyond the Vatican you can also admire works by Rafael Sanzio. Thus, in the Prado Museum in Madrid, among other works, you can see the  Sagrada Familia del Cordero, Caída en el camino del Calvario or  El Cardenal.

The Louvre Museum in Paris exhibits  The Beautiful Planter. In the London National Gallery you can admire the Virgin of the Carnations. In the Pinacoteca de Brera in Milan the painting The Marriage of the Virgin is shown. And  in the Pitti Palace in Florence you will see the Madonna del Granduca.