Raphael. Eugene Muntz

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      Pietro Vannucci, “Perugino”, his new master, concentrated only on painting, nothing else, whereas most of his contemporaries excelled at once in painting, goldsmith work, architecture or sculpture. But he had travelled greatly, he had seen close-up the most remarkable men of that great time. His conversation was therefore perfect for sparking the interest of his young listener. He could speak to him of the very energetic and unscrupulous Pope, Sixtus IV, whose unflagging activity had transformed Rome; of Innocent VIII, a no less enthusiastic builder; of Cardinal Giuliano della Rovere, whose magnanimous personal warmth, mixed with frightening flashes of temper, already foretold the style of his papacy as Pope Julius II. In Florence, Perugino had had the opportunity to see Lorenzo the Magnificent, perhaps also Charles VIII. Savonarola struck him as a true prophet, whose teachings he followed enthusiastically. Then the master spoke of matters of art. He described Verrocchio’s studio, a training ground for great artists, where he had worked beside Leonardo da Vinci and Lorenzo di Credi.

      Saint Michael and the Demon, known as The Small Saint Michael

      c. 1503–1505

      Oil on wood, 30 × 26 cm

      Musée du Louvre, Paris

      Portrait of Elisabetta Gonzaga

      1504

      Oil on wood, 52.9 × 37.4 cm

      Galleria degli Uffizi, Florence

      He told of experiments among his comrades to refine the laws of perspective and to initiate themselves into the deepest secrets of colour. They were wonderful and profitable years for they had marked the beginning of a new era in the history of painting. The great competition for the decoration of the Sistine Chapel must have been a frequent theme in their conversation. It is easy to imagine his pupils hanging on his every word as he described such marvels.

      The Marriage of the Virgin

      1504

      Oil on wood, 170 × 118 cm

      Pinacoteca di Brera, Milan

      The biographer of Italian artists, Giorgio Vasari, tells us – and there is every reason to accept his account – that Raphael’s skill, his true gifts and his charming ways quickly won over his new master. We can picture the young man from Urbino at work beside Perugino in his modest studio smock, his eye alert, his brow thoughtful, a smile of exquisite kindness on his lips, displaying both innocence and distinction. From the beginning, Perugino saw in Raphael the potential which would be confirmed by posterity.

      Allegory, known as The Vision of a Knight

      1504

      Oil on poplar wood, 17.1 × 17.3 cm

      The National Gallery, London

      The pupil, for his part, held a filial affection for his master and the warmth of their relationship never changed.

      When Raphael left his master, around 1502, he had learned all that the ageing Umbrian could teach him. Oil painting and frescos no longer held any secrets for him. Later on, to be sure, his brush gained greater freedom and strength, but he also lost some of his qualities; the general tone was no longer quite so amber, nor as warm and luminous as in his early efforts, imperfect in so many respects, from this first period.

      Portrait of a Young Man Holding an Apple

      1504

      Oil on wood, 47 × 35 cm

      Galleria degli Uffizi, Florence

      The names of Perugino and of Raphael are in fact inseparable in the history of art, as seen in the School of Athens where Raphael was going to place Perugino’s portrait beside his own. When Perugino returned to Tuscany, Raphael was nineteen. He was old enough to try his hand at several works of his own, and face criticism directly. His master, overwhelmed with commissions, was happy to have the student share the prestige attached to the so aptly named “peruginesque” style and undoubtedly recommended him (with an enthusiasm made all the greater for its selflessness) to his Umbrian friends and patrons.

      Madonna and Child, known as The Conestabile Madonna

      1504

      Tempera on wood transferred onto canvas, diameter: 17.9 cm

      The State Hermitage Museum, St Petersburg

      Umbria began to be like a second home for Raphael.

      The young artist naturally started out with paintings on a small scale and with subjects not requiring the widest knowledge. A large number of Madonnas, shown from the waist up, with a bearing that is still rather timid (the Virgin is generally seen from the front as she looks down modestly at her son), are part of these early works. Worth mentioning among them is The Virgin and Child with a Book.

      The Madonna and Child Enthroned with Saints (Colonna Altarpiece)

      c. 1504

      Oil and gold on wood, central panel: 169.5 × 168.9 cm; lunette: 64.8 × 171.5 cm

      The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York

      Raphael, during this entire first period, was obliged to deal with the demands of his Umbrian audience. Neither the clothing, the attributes, nor even the pose of his figures should vary appreciably from tradition. In order for a Madonna or a Holy Family to inspire feelings of contrition in the people, they had to reflect the traditions consecrated by centuries of belief.

      It was not long before Raphael was entrusted with larger works.

      Portrait of Pietro Bembo

      c. 1504

      Oil on wood, 54 × 39 cm

      Szépművészeti Múzeum, Budapest

      Shortly after his master Perugino’s departure, a lady from one of the most powerful families of Perugia, Maddalena degli Oddi, commissioned the young man to paint the Crowning of the Virgin for the church of Saint Francis.

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