An Exhibition of Masterful Drawings by Raphael Highlights His Enormous Influence on Those Who Followed in His Footsteps—See Images Here

While museums around the globe are closed to the public, we
are spotlighting each day an inspiring exhibition that was
previously on view. Even if you can’t see it in person, allow us to
give you a virtual look. 

“Raphael and His Circle”
National
Gallery of Art, Washington DC

What the museum says: “Raphael was one of the greatest artistic figures
working in the Western classical tradition. To mark the 500th
anniversary of his death, the Gallery presents 26 prints and
drawings in an intimate installation. These works illustrate how
Raphael’s art shaped the standard of aesthetic excellence for later
artists, connoisseurs, and scholars.

The exhibition features four drawings by Raphael: the sheet from
which the design of his painting Saint George and the
Dragon (ca. 1506, National Gallery of Art, Washington) was
transferred; the cartoon for the so-called Belle
Jardinière (The Virgin and Child with Saint John the
Baptist, 1507, Louvre Museum, Paris); a detailed representation
of the prophets Hosea and Jonah, a well-known study for part of the
frescoes in the church of Santa Maria della Pace in Rome; and a
study of eight apostles for the design of the
tapestry Christ’s Charge to Peter (ca. 1514,
Vatican Museum). Nine drawings by his closest collaborators and
followers—Giulio Romano, Polidoro da Caravaggio,
and Perino del Vaga—are also on view.”

Why it’s worth a look: On the occasion of
the 500th anniversary of Raphael’s death, museums around the world
organized exhibitions focusing on how his legacy extended decades
beyond his lifetime. Though he died young, at only 37, his mastery
of perspective and form was heralded in his lifetime, and he was
considered one of the three Renaissance greats, along with
Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci.

This show at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC,
takes an intimate look at his works on paper to stress the
impressive mastery of his drawings. Alongside works by Raphael
himself are those completed by members of his workshop, which was
considerably larger than that of almost any other artist of his
time. While the museum remains closed indefinitely, check out a virtual tour of the show and see pictures
below.

What it looks like:

The post An Exhibition of Masterful Drawings by Raphael
Highlights His Enormous Influence on Those Who Followed in His
Footsteps—See Images Here appeared first on artnet
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