Raffaello Santi – the artistic genius who wore many caps now on at the National Gallery
During his short life, he wore many caps, painter, draughtsman, architect, designer and archaeologist, writes Regina Motalib. Through his art, he captured aspects of humanity and the divine – giving the world quintessential images of beauty and civilisation.
Raffaello Santi (1483–1520) touched the lives of so many who witnessed his genius in his day.
Spanning just two decades, his brief career shaped the course of Western culture like few artists before or since.
His paintings continue to have a prolific effect on art fans the world over. His legacy is immortal.
The National Gallery has demonstrated its pulling power by bringing together some of Raphael’s greatest masterpieces from all over the world – for a special showing marking the 500th anniversary of Raphael’s death in 1520.
The highly anticipated exhibition was delayed because of Covid restrictions.
The Credit Suisse Exhibition: Raphael is one of the first exhibitions to explore the complete career of this giant of the Italian Renaissance.
This exhibition examines not just his celebrated paintings and drawings – but also his not so widely known work in architecture, archaeology and poetry, as well as his designs for sculpture, tapestry, prints, and the applied arts.
Loans from across his entire career have travelled to London from around the world, to join nine works from the National Gallery’s collection of paintings by Raphael.
Among the lenders are the Louvre, Musei Vaticani, the Galleria degli Uffizi, and the Museo Nacional del Prado.
The exhibition also provides an overview of his work as an architect in Rome, including his most appointment as architect of the new St Peter’s – the beginnings of the basilica we know today.
Broadly chronological, the exhibition opens with the artist’s early works created in the Marche region of eastern Italy and his birthplace Urbino.
It covers his time spent in Florence and Rome where he moved in 1508 to work for Pope Julius II.
The spectacular final room is dedicated to the portraiture of Raphael’s last years.
He was generally too busy to take on portrait commissions.
The portraits he did execute, therefore, tend to have been painted out of friendship or affection, exemplified in his famous Portrait of Baldassare Castiglione (1519, oil on canvas, Musée du Louvre, Paris).
The Credit Suisse Exhibition: Raphael is on at The National Gallery until July 31.
Tickets and information from www.nationalgallery.org.uk
Everyone at the South London Press thanks you for your continued support.
Former Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick has encouraged everyone in the country who can afford to do so to buy a newspaper, and told the Downing Street press briefing:
“A FREE COUNTRY NEEDS A FREE PRESS, AND THE NEWSPAPERS OF OUR COUNTRY ARE UNDER SIGNIFICANT FINANCIAL PRESSURE”
If you can afford to do so, we would be so grateful if you can make a donation which will allow us to continue to bring stories to you, both in print and online. Or please make cheques payable to “MSI Media Limited” and send by post to South London Press, Unit 112, 160 Bromley Road, Catford, London SE6 2NZ
