Raphael

This monograph explores the life and work of one of the most important artists in the history of the West, Raphael (Raffaello Sanzio, 1483 1520). Its scope covers Raphael's origins, his early influences, his important Urbino period and subsequently the extraordinary series of frescoes and portraits of his last phase in Rome. Over two hundred of Raphael s finest paintings and drawings are illustrated, accompanied by an accessible yet highly informative text by the distinguished Renaissance scholar Bette Talvacchia. The author also explores Raphael's artistic relationships with such Renaissance masters as Leonardo and Michelangelo, culminating in a brilliant account of his masterpieces done in Rome under the patronage of Popes Julius II and Leo X.

Table of Contents:
Chapter 1: The Myth of Raphael and the Historical Raphael - Chapter 2. Artisitic Heritage and Formation - Chapter 3. The Impact of Florence - Chapter 4. The Painting of the Vatican Stanze - Chapter 5. The Elite Circuit of Roman Patronage and Widening Circles of Commissions - Chapter 6. Expansion of Skills, Influence and Competition at the Papal Court - Chapter 7. The Significance of Drawings in Raphael's Practice - Chapter 8. Raphael and his Collaborators: the Organization and Function of the Workshop - Chapter 9. The Height of Success and Sudden End

About the Author :
Bette Talvacchia, Professor in the Department of Art & Art History at the University of Connecticut, is a specialist in the Renaissance and Baroque periods. Her publications include the critically acclaimed study, Taking Positions: On the Erotic in Renaissance in Culture (Princeton, 1999).

Review :
'a superbly produced book, sumptuously illustrated and written in clear prose without any of the overtly academic language, so often now found in books on art and its history, that can be so off-putting to the non-specialist. - presents in a fresh and eminently readable style a comprehensive reworking of his life, career, the social milieu within which he moved, and the political and dynastic motivations for many of his illustrious patrons. - The chapter on the Vatican Stanze is outstanding, giving lucid and detailed descriptions of some of the greatest paintings in Western Europe. - it is the illustrations that make this an outstanding book. They are truly magnificent. - The illustrations of the many 'mother and child' works allows for an extended discussion on how Raphael developed this massively important aspect of Renaissance painting. Many have described these works as formulaic, but the analysis there gives lucid clarity to them, allowing for a fresh reinterpretation of some of his greatest masterpieces. The chapter on Raphael's drawings and workshop techniques is amongst the best in an outstanding book. - I strongly recommend [Raphael] to anyone interested in the Italian Renaissance - for those with a keen interest, this book is surely a must.' Bob Baggs, art historian, Bristol, in The Art Book, May 2008