Raphaello Sanzio (1483-1520)
Raphael was born on April 6, 1483 in Urbino, Italy
He joined the workshop of Perugino after the death of his father and learned about art in that workshop. Raphael then moved to Florence in 1504 to learn more about art and to make a living off of it. He left for Rome in 1508 to pursue art even further and spent 12 years there, the longest he stayed in one place, where he died at the age of 37 on Good Friday in 1520.
Raphael spent four years in the workshop of Perugino and learned skills from them and the area around him. When he left for Florence, Raphael's Peruginesque style was outdated for the time and culture of Florence, so his work became influenced by the city and artists like Michaelangelo and Da Vinci. His work became more humanist. Those influences, however, did not undermine his classical fifteenth century background.
Raphael created paintings, portraits of people, and painted architecture. Some of his works are Stanza della Segnatura, Stanza d'Elidoro, Marriage of the Virgin(Pre-Florence), and Saint Michael.
Raphael created this painting in 1518, two years before his death. It can now be found in the Musée du Louvre which is a museum. He painted this painting with oil and canvas. This is a depiction of Saint Michael with a spear in hand ready to thrust it into the back of his enemy, this unknown angel, he has defeated. Raphael used a unique way to depict an angel, having bronze armor and rainbow colored wings, this is something I have never seen before in any depictions of holy items or figures.
Raphael represented both capitalism and humanism in his life. When he moved on to Florence and Rome, he had to make a name for himself and make money off his art to make his way in the world. His art after he left the Perugino Workshop was influenced by those like Da Vinci to become less about religion and more about the human people.
Saint Michael was one of Raphael's later paintings that still represented aspects of religion