Raphael
Italian painter and architect admired for his balanced compositions and gentle figures, especially in The School of Athens and Transfiguration.
Raphael (1483–1520) was an Italian painter and architect of the High Renaissance, renowned for his clarity of form, ease of composition, and visual achievement of human grandeur. He worked in Urbino, Florence, and Rome, where he painted the famous Raphael Rooms in the Vatican, including The School of Athens. His work influenced Neoclassical painting and was highly regarded, though his style was later contrasted with the more dynamic Mannerism and Baroque movements. Raphael’s legacy remains significant in art history, with his works admired for their balance, grace, and technical mastery.