Raphael (1483-1520), like Leonardo, had diverse interests that included architecture, history, poetry, and archaeology. However, he was very unlike Michelangelo, who was moody and temperamental. Raphael was pleasant and well liked, except by Michelangelo himself, who saw him as a rival. Nonetheless, Raphael absorbed certain aspects of both the artists’ styles but made them uniquely his own. His works have a clarity of form, ease of composition, and show an ideal human majesty.
Raphael was as successful in portrait painting as he was painting complex large groups. Above we see his mastery in depicting the rich and varied textures of Leo’s garments. Where do you think the light is coming from to create the shadows and highlights? Look closely at the ball on top of the chair leg to see the tiny reflection of the window outside the picture frame on the right. Where do your eyes land when looking at this magnificent composition? Raphael arranges his figures in a semi-circle with Plato and Socrates dead center. He expertly uses single point perspective to create a sense of real vaults receding into the background with the last one neatly framing the two philosophers to make them stand out. Raphael mixes together great thinkers who lived at different times into a composition that is dynamic visually and shows the knowledge the men represent.
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