Raphael: A Passionate Life
Raphael Santi was the painter who did the most to bring art forward from its mediaeval traditions into the glories of the Renaissance. The son of a father who was a competent, but not brilliant, painter himself, Raphael took over the family studio at an astonishingly young age after his father’s death. Raphael soon left his home town of Urbino, increasing his fame as he moved on to Florence and then to Rome, where aggressive Popes were demanding that the very best artists of the age should serve them.
This is a detailed biography that explains Raphael’s achievements during his short life (he died at 37), while also showing how his social skills and affable temperament helped him to advance his career. He proved that it was not necessary to be a tortured and curmudgeonly soul to be a great artist.
This informative book is also a rich treasury of information about the artistic developments and techniques of the period.
The translation is by HNS member Lucinda Byatt, but I am sure that our Lucy was not responsible for “throws” for throes, “miniscule”, bells “peeling”, and “straightaway”. Oh, for the days when books were edited properly.
