He was an Italian painter and architect of the Italian High Renaissance.
He was born in 1483 in Urbino.
He is known for his Madonnas and for his large figure compositions in the Vatican.
His mother died when he was 9. His father was also a painter who died 2 years later.
Back then Urbino was a center of culture.
In 1495 Raphael went to Perugia where he showed his mastery. But his desire for knowledge drove him to look beyond Perugia. So in 1504 he went to Florence.
There he studied the works of Leonardo, Michelangelo and Fra Bartolommeo.
His Madonnas paintings are, Madonna of the Goldfinch, Madonna del Prato and The Esterhazy Madonna.
His other famous paintings are, School of Athens, Disputa, Stanza d’ Elidoro, Stanza della Segnatura, The Liberation of St. Peter and The Marriage of the Virgin Transfiguration.
In 1508 he was called to Rome by the Pope where he was called The Prince of Painters. He spent the last 12 years of his life there.
He passed away at age 37 because of fever.
[Source: www.britannica.com]
