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Artistic Renaissance: Raphael Essay

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Raphael, a product of the Renaissance, presented a different style of art and introduced a new medium for expression. His repertoire included both complex and simplistic work. The variety in his art allowed him to attract attention from both royalty and common people. His artistic ability is neither challenged nor debated. An outstanding support and teaching from his father planted a seed of inextinguishable desire. Later in his life, Raphael watched this seed bloom as opportunities began to wallow at his feet. However, Raphael was no genius compared to his contemporaries and neither did he have a drop of noble blood in his family history. The facts were not stacked in his favor. Nevertheless, Raphael was always known for his work ethic …show more content…

His work was placed in churches, chapels, and royal chambers among other places. He traveled with his work and found new friends in his journeys. After searching for a reasonable commission he finally settled down in Florence where he stayed for many years. He fell in love with the city and the opportunity for work. His first real job came with the interest of Pope Julius II. Julius assigned Raphael with many challenging pieces, one being a self-portrait of the Pope (Vasari 23-29).
In 1511 Raphael painted his greatest masterpiece during his stay in Rome, the School of Athens. The fresco brought more than 15 brilliant writers, philosophers, and theologians into one room. The original name for the piece in Roman was Causarum Cognitio meaning Knowledge of Causes. However, it was called the School of Athens by an old seventeenth century guidebook and has been generally accepted ever since. This fresco was no ordinary job. Raphael was charged to create a painting that captured the mental genius of the chosen characters. This work was considered a portrait of knowledge. It took Raphael some time to complete, but the finished product made the Pope ecstatic. He was so pleased with the painting that he paid Raphael to go forward and create a whole room of art to add to his collection. This task was one of the largest projects Raphael had worked on. Nonetheless, once it was completed, Julius showed his utmost appreciation (Hall 57-63).
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