How Raphael Composed his Paintings
The clever techniques of an evolving Renaissance artist
Raphael was aged around 22 when he arrived in Florence to make his name as an artist.
The year was 1504 and the city was one of the great cultural centres of Europe. Its fiercely competitive artistic scene — which included Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo vying for ascendancy — provided great rewards to those who excelled.
Raphael was ambitious, and in the city known for exceptional disegno, or draftsmanship, he set about bringing his fledgling techniques to a new level of maturity and expression.
Composition played a vital role. Perhaps more than any other artist of his generation, Raphael made use of meticulously thought out arrangements to elevate his art towards the Renaissance ideal of mathematical harmony.
I’ve long been an admirer of Raphael. His attention to classical principles of composition has few rivals in the history of art, and for me, his pursuit of beauty never ceases to reward, no matter how many times I look at his work.
Perugino’s example
Raphael’s story begins with his apprenticeship under the artist Pietro Perugino in the city of Urbino, where Raphael was born and lived through his teenage years. From his…
