An authoritative introduction to one of the most influential painters in the history of art, written by the pre-eminent authority on the subject and informed

by the latest research. More versatile and less idiosyncratic than Michelangelo, more prolific and accessible than his mentor Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, though he died at only thirty-seven, is considered the single most influential

artist of the Renaissance. Here, art historian Paul Joannides explores the different social and regional contexts of Raphael's work and discusses all aspects of his artistic

output.

He traces Raphael's career from his origins in Urbino, through his altarpieces made in Umbria in the shadow of Perugino, to the first flowering of his genius in Florence where he painted a series of iconic Madonnas that are among the most beloved images in Western art. Raphael's employment by the dynamic and demanding Pope Julius II gave him opportunities without parallel and encouraged the full expansion of his genius. As a sophisticate entrepreneur, he dominated Rome's artistic life and extended the range of his activities to that of architect, designer, pioneer archaeologist and theoretician.

The foundation of Raphael's versatility and range was his supreme clarity of mind as a draughtsman. Knowledge of his drawings, on which Joannides is a leading expert, is central to understanding of his achievement, and they are thoroughly explored here.

本书由权威专家撰写，采用了最新的研究资料，介绍了艺术史上影响深远的画家拉斐尔（Raphael）。拉斐尔比米开朗基罗（Michelangelo）更多才多艺，没有那么多特立独行，比他的导师莱昂纳多·达·芬奇（Leonardo da Vinci）更多产，更容易接近，虽然他死时只有37岁，但被称为“文艺复兴三杰”之一。在这里，艺术史学家保罗·约安尼德（Paul Joannides）探讨了拉斐尔作品的不同社会和地区背景，并讨论了他艺术作品的各个方面。

约安尼德在书中追溯了拉斐尔的职业生涯，从出生地乌尔比诺，到在翁布里亚拜佩鲁吉诺（Perugino）为师学习绘制祭坛画，再到在佛罗伦萨扬名。在佛罗伦萨的这段时间，拉斐尔成了“圣母专业户”。精力充沛、要求苛刻的教皇尤利乌斯二世任用拉斐尔，给了他前所未有的机会，并鼓励他充分发挥自己的天赋。作为一位颇具威望的主教，他主宰了罗马的艺术生活，并将其活动范围扩大到建筑师、设计师、先锋考古学家和理论家。

拉斐尔多才多艺、涉猎广泛，因为他有着画师的清晰头脑。约安尼德是研究拉斐尔的权威专家，凭借对拉斐尔作品的了解，全面探讨了拉斐尔的成就。