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Renowned artist -

As one of the most renowned artists emerging from the Italian Renaissance, Raphael’s masterpieces have captivated art aficionados for centuries.

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Raphael's greatest works -

His greatest works include ‘The School of Athens,’ ‘The Sistine Madonna,’ (pictured) ‘The Crucifixion,’ and ‘The Transfiguration.’

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Life of the artist -

While his work is recognized by many, far fewer have looked beyond the canvas to explore the life of the artist.

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The mystery starts at birth -

The mystery of the artist starts with his birthday. We know he was born in 1483, but there are many debates about the day.

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Birthday -

Some say Raphael was born on March 28, while others argue the artist's birthday is on April 6. While we’re not certain about the day, his name does reveal where he was born.

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Urbino -

While commonly referred to as Raphael, his birth name is Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino. His surname, da Urbino, tells us he was born in the eastern Italian village of Urbino, located in a region called Marche.

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A man of many names -

A man of many names, he never signed documents as Raphael or as Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino. Instead, he signed as ‘Raphael Urbinas.’ Pictured is one of Raphael's famous paintings, 'Disputation of the Holy Sacrament'

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The Renaissance masters -

Raphael is usually mentioned in conjunction with two other master artists of the Renaissance. The trinity also includes Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci (picture is da Vinci's self-portrait).

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Rivalry -

These three were certainly in competition with one another. Raphael was Michelangelo’s (pictured) junior by eight years, adding to the animosity between the two.

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A faulty plan -

In fact, there’s a story that Raphael and Bramante, who was the architect of St Peter’s Basilica (pictured), joined together to conspire against Michelangelo; a plan which seriously backfired.

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Painting the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel -

The tale goes that the duo convinced Pope Julius II to commission Michelangelo to paint the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. Michelangelo was a sculptor and painting a ceiling isn’t an easy job.

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Michelangelo goes down in history -

The two friends thought they were setting Michaelangelo up for an embarrassing failure, but we know how that story ends.

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'Holy Martyr' -

A chip off the old block, Raphael can’t take all the credit for his extraordinary talent. His father, Giovanni Santi, was a celebrated painter, too. Pictured is Santi's work titled 'Holy Martyr.'

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Raphael's short life -

Orphaned at the age of 11, Raphael, like his parents, also died quite young. At the age of 37, Raphael died of what scientists believe was a bout of pneumonia. Pictured is Raphael's painting of Catherine of Alexandria.

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Ladies' man -

While his life was short, it was full of excitement. Raphael was known for his outgoing personality and he certainly impressed the ladies.

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'La Fornarina' -

His main lover was a baker’s daughter, Margherita Luti. She is featured in several of his paintings, often referred to as ‘La Fornarina,’ meaning the baker’s daughter.

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A mysterious woman -

Historians don’t know much about Margherita Luti, except that she lived on Via del Governo Vecchio in Rome.

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Huge collection of paintings amassed -

Over the course of his career, Raphael amassed a significant portfolio of paintings. He was a fast worker and despite dying young, he managed to produce a huge collection of work. Pictured is the 'Portrait of Baldassare Castiglione.'

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Raphael Rooms -

In fact, the Papal Palace’s reception rooms had entire walls covered with Raphael’s work; areas often referred to as the "Raphael Rooms."

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'The School of Athens' -

Among these works is Raphael’s most famous fresco, ‘The School of Athens.’ The incredible work of art is one of the most celebrated of the Renaissance.

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Innovators of Ancient Greece -

The painting depicts the greatest innovators of Ancient Greece. Socrates, Aristotle (pictured), Plato, Pythagoras, Zarathustra, and Archimedes, among others, are featured in the work.

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Two rivals featured -

In addition to the greats of Ancient Greece, it is also said that Raphael painted his two rivals, Michelangelo and da Vinci, in the work, represented by Heraclitus (pictured) and Plato, respectively. 

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A subtle addition -

Raphael, not exactly known for his humility, also depicted himself in the work as Apelles of Kos, who was a famous painter from Ancient Greece. Apelles is depicted in a black beret and white robe in the right foreground. 

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Sudden illness -

Shortly before his 37th birthday, Raphael came down with a fever. Despite being treated by the best doctors in the world, he became increasingly ill. Pictured is Raphael's 'The Liberation of Saint Peter.'

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Pneumonia likely cause of death -

His promiscuity created buzz regarding the cause of his death, attributing it to a sexually transmitted disease, but historians believe it was a case of pneumonia that led to his demise.

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Bloodletting -

Likely misdiagnosed, doctors attempted to cure his symptoms through the process of bloodletting. Unfortunately, this likely weakened Raphael, making it even more difficult for him to adequately combat the infection.

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He may have died on his birthday -

If Raphael was born on April 6, he also died on the same day 37 years later, which was Good Friday that year. A 16th century celebrity, huge crowds attended his funeral.

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Raphael's funeral -

His lifeless body was carried by four cardinals dressed in purple robes. The Pope himself kissed Raphael’s hands before his burial in the Pantheon, a famous Roman temple that was later turned into a church.

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Raphael's tomb -

On his sarcophagus, it reads: “Here lies that famous Raphael by whom Nature feared to be conquered while he lived, and when he was dying, feared herself to die.”

Sources: (Art Facts)

See also: The most astounding inventions from the Renaissance

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