Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino

Raphael (Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino, 1483–1520) was an Italian painter and architect of the High Renaissance, renowned for his clarity of form, balanced compositions, and graceful depiction of the human figure. Born in Urbino on either March 28 or April 6, 1483, he was the son of court painter Giovanni Santi and was orphaned by age eleven. Trained in the workshop of Pietro Perugino, Raphael quickly gained recognition as a master by 1500. He absorbed the artistic innovations of Florence from 1504 to 1508, particularly those of Leonardo da Vinci, and then moved to Rome where, under the patronage of Popes Julius II and Leo X, he created his most famous works, including the frescoes of the Raphael Rooms and The School of Athens. Raphael also worked as an architect and managed a large and prolific workshop. Though he died young at age 37 on April 6, 1520, his refined style and serene compositions left an enduring legacy and helped define the ideals of Renaissance art.