Raphaël in Chantilly

Stimulated by this environment and trained by his father, the talented young man was quickly noticed, particularly through his drawings.

He soon became the collaborator of Perugino, a successful painter known for the rigor of his religious representations, in the Italian region of Umbria.

At the age of 21, Raphaël left for Florence, where he rubbed shoulders with Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo. He was marked by their sense of dynamism and composition. His own works then came to life and gained expressiveness.  

This bust of a bearded old man is based on the one on an altar that Perugino was commissioned to create (The Marriage of the Virgin, Museum of Fine Arts of Caen), which we know to have been a source of inspiration for the young Raphaël.

The subject is in contrapposto, or in other words, has one of his legs slightly bent, giving the impression of dynamism and movement.

Perugino's frescoes and drawings greatly influenced Raphaël.

This work also bears witness to the artistic exchanges that took place during the Renaissance: when representing wild boars upon which lively children are perched, Raphaël was inspired by an engraving by the German master, Albrecht Dürer.

This drawing is a cartoon, or in other words, an initial surface used to prepare for another work, such as a fresco or a painting, using a transfer technique (by creating small pin pricks).

This is also a cartoon for a transfer drawing; the final work is unknown.

Here, we have a representation of a man delicately holding a book in his hands, which almost seem disproportionate. 

We can tell by his tonsure (shaved head) that he is a monk, focused on his reading. The serenity and monumentality that it conveys demonstrate all the power of suggestion that young Raphaël was capable of.

This group is inspired by an ancient sculpture.

Analysis revealed a drawing underneath the paint, showing a significant change in composition: originally, only one of the Graces—the one on the left—held a golden apple. It was undoubtedly for the sake of balance—to achieve the perfect final harmony—that Raphaël opted for the three golden apples.

This drawing showing four naked men is testimony to this, and illustrates Raphaël’s special interest in anatomy, whether from a live model or ancient sculpture.

The pathetic expression of this man's face is striking, with its grimacing mouth, distorted nose, and large, drooping eyes. 

This face corresponds to that of one of the bearers of Christ in The Pala Baglioni, a work by Raphaël inspired by Laocoön and his Sons, a famous ancient statue discovered in Rome in 1506, and immediately purchased by Pope Julius II. 

Raphaël demonstrates his perfect mastery of shadows and volumes, while instilling great tenderness in this maternal scene.

The harmoniously arranged primary colors contrast with the dark background, in which you can nevertheless distinguish pots on a shelf, inspired by Flemish painting.

In this uncluttered piece, the Virgin tenderly holds her son, who gives us a look of great gravity: we also know his macabre fate.

This work should be placed at the end of Raphaël's Florentine period. The position of the Virgin, seen from the side, legs outstretched, is original and dynamic, unlike the frontal Madonnas that we have just seen.

Indeed, in the mid 16^th century, authors mention a painting by Raphaël depicting the Virgin covering the child with her veil in the presence of Saint Joseph, shown during solemn feasts at the Church of Santa Maria del Popolo in Rome.

Purchased by Cardinal Sfondrato in 1591, the painting then passed into the hands of Cardinal Scipione Borghese and received, on the occasion of the 1693 inventory, the number 133, before disappearing among dozens of copies.

This drawing of The Study for the Dispute of the Blessed Sacrament was precisely drawn for the preparation of a famous fresco by Raphaël in the Vatican, located in the Signature Room.

The energy contained within this work is fascinating: we can feel the conflict among the characters, for example. In addition, the light work is remarkable. It's a homage to Leonardo da Vinci.

This drawing of a stone bearer executed in red chalk demonstrates great anatomical precision and has a sharp outline, which gives the character physical tension. 

During this period, Raphaël was in great demand and had to delegate the production of the frescoes to his assistants. However, he continued to design his drawings. 

Commissioned in 1515 by Pope Leo X, the tapestries of Acts of Apostles were woven in Brussels under the direction of the merchant-weaver, Pieter van Aelst.

It was Raphaël who designed the preparatory drawings, then, alongside his workshop, the full-scale cartoons that were sent to Brussels. This fragment comes from the second cartoon—the working one—created in Brussels and used to weave the tapestries.

Here, we have a representation of Psyche emerging from Hell, the guardian of which—Cerberus—we see on the right. 

After receiving the vase of beauty from Proserpina and despite being defended, she opens it out of curiosity then falls into an eternal sleep. Cupid finally came to wake her with one of his arrows.