After the celebrations dedicated to Leonardo Da Vinci last year, 2020 is the year of Raffaello Sanzio.
Five hundred years ago Raphael, the "divine painter" died. Important exhibitions were planned all over the world to mark the anniversary but, due to the pandemic, all the events have been cancelled.
However, the anniversary represents an opportunity to rediscover his artistic greatness and to know curious facts about his life, such as the coincidence between the date of his birth (April 6, 1483, Urbino) and his death (April 6, 1520, Rome).
Until his death, that remains shrouded in mystery- the Renaissance critic, Giorgio Vasari, traces the reasons for the "excesses of love activities", his life was that of a celebrity of his times.
Despite his reputation as a libertine, the Pope's favorite painter, he asked and obtained to be buried in the Pantheon church in Rome, where he still lies next to the tombs of the Kings of Italy. An honor never granted before to any other artist.
Roberta Crisci, professor of art history at the Federation University, traces the origins and early years of Raffaello Sanzio's training until he arrived in Florence, where the painter found himself confronted with other great masters of his time for the first time like Leonardo and Michelangelo.
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