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In the history of Italian art, Raphael stands alone, like Shakespeare in the history of English literature. Everywhere we recognize his forms and lines, borrowed or stolen, reproduced, varied, imitated, never improved.

Raphael of Urbino was born in Urbino, in 1483. Urbino is located in the Marche region of Italy, between Ravenna and Perugia. As you travel across Italy on your private tour, your guide, who is also an art historian, will point out various points of interest in relation to Raphael, and several works by him.

Nowadays, the pretty town of Urbino is mainly visited for its Ducal Palace. This masterpiece of balance and taste was built for Duke Federico by architect Luciano Laurana and Francesco di Giorgio Martini from Siena. It offers a superb panoramic view to the west of the old town, while to the east it has a harsh yet majestic appearance. The courtyard is a model of Renaissance harmony. On the ground floor is an archaeological museum, a library for the Duke and the palace cellars.

A few steps from the Palace, the sanctuaries of San Giovanni Battista and San Giuseppe, dating back to the 14th century, contain interesting frescoes by Salimbeni recalling the life of St John the Baptist. The second, from the 16th century, has a huge statue of St Joseph painted in grisaille, four large canvases by Carlo Roncalli and an attractive stucco crib by Federico Brandani (1522-1575).

Raphael’s family house is, in fact, a museum-shrine of lesser interest. Here are the stages of his life:

1483: Raphael is born on April 6 in Urbino, in Umbria, Italy. His father is a painter and official poet of the court of Frederico Montefeltre, one of the most famous princes of the Renaissance in Italy. Urbino is a famous artistic area at the dawn of 16th century. His capacities of assimilation, imitation and his skills make Raphael an artist exceptionally gifted.

1494: Death of Raphael’s father, three years after his wife. Raphael is only eleven years old. The teaching received by the young boy remains extremely unclear. Many historians estimate that he was the pupil of Perugino, in Perugia, probably about 1499-1500.

1500: At seventeen years of age, Raphael is already a maestro. That gives him the right to have a workshop, assistants and pupils. He paints for the church Sant’ Agostino de Città di Castello. He carries out this work with the assistance of a former assistant of Giovanni Santi.

1501-1503: Raphael receives an order from the abbess of the clarisses of Monteluce, “the Crowning of the Virgin”.

1504: Raphael settles in the Tuscan city Florence. The Florentine republic has just appointed Michel-Angel (1475-1564) and Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519). Raphael will benefit from their influence. Da Vinci receives him in its workshop. He discovers there the masterpieces of the florentine Renaissance. He carries out a series of Virgins and Madonnas. The Sienan banker Agostino Chigi orders from Raphael. He also works for Urbino, Perugino, and Perugia.

1508: The Pope appoints Raphael as an official painter of the pontifical court. He is given the decoration of the Vatican apartments. Raphael undertakes architectural and archaeological tasks on behalf of the papacy. He often meets Michelangelo who works on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel.

1514: Raphael becomes architect in chief of Saint-Peter’s basilica. His workshop leaves many masterpieces: frescoes, paintings, official orders and particular orders follow one another.

1515: Raphael is in charge of the conservation of the ancient monuments of Rome.

1517: Raphael receives the order of “Transfiguration”. 1519: He carries out the famous portrait of Margherita Luti, or Fornarina (1519) his mistress. He plans to transport an obelisk to Saint-Peter’s square.

1520: He dies the day of his birthday on April 6, Good Friday, at the age of 37 years of “too much love” according to some, of malaria according to others. His body is exposed at the Vatican, under the Transfiguration, before being transported to the Pantheon. His life remains wrapped of mystery. The artist is famous for his gracious and courteous character, his capacity of seduction and the excellence of his artistic creations.

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