It is a subject much controverted by Vasari, Lanzi, and other Italian writers who treat of the fine arts, whether the merits of Raphael are entirely due to his own genius, or to his having profited by the acquirements of Michael Angelo. The progressive change and improvement of his style is a proof of his discernment and persevering study. from which it is neither to be supposed that he would omit any opportunity of advancement, or hesitate to avail himself of knowledge, by whatever means it might be acquired. Accordingly, in the peculiar modesty and candour of his disposition he is said to have declared, that he thanked God that he had been born in the time of Mi chael Angelo. Mr. Roscoe says, that he did not imitate, but selected from him. " The works of Michael Angelo were to him a rich magazine; but he rejected as well as approved. The muscular forms, daring outline, and ener getic attitudes of the Florentine artist, were harmonized and softened in the elegant and graceful productions of the pencil of Raphael. It is thus that Homer was imitat ed by Virgil ; and it is thus that genius always attracts and assimilates with itself whatever is excellent, either in the works of nature or the productions of art." Raphael continued his labours in the Vatican with in creasing fame after the elevation of Leo X , who was too well aware of the glory this accomplished artist was likely to shed over his pontificate, to omit the due meed of fa vour and munificence. He painted the expulsion of At tila from Italy, supposed to be allegorical of the overthrow of the French power in Italy by Leo X.—the liberation of St. Peter from prison—besides various other subjects in the ceilings and embellishments of these interesting apart ments. Raphael was induced by a rich Roman banker, Agostino Chigi, to paint some apartments in his palace, which obtained for the admiration of future generations the lovely works of the Farnesinu, descriptive of the his tory ol Cupid and Psyche, w here the painter has indulged the full Ittxuriance of Ms graceful pencil It was during Ms passion for the beautiful Fornarina that he was engag ed in the execution of these pictures, which would proba bly net er have been terminated, had not the judicious banker prevailed on the young lady to attend hint while at work.
He was not less distinguished for his smaller works in oil, and portraits, possessing such ineffable simplicity and grace, as to have rendered them, in general, the chief gems ol every cabinet. There is a chastity of design. and unaffected purity and elegance of outline, in Rapha el's woiks, which, joined to a modesty of colouring, and serene composure of expression, give an air of divinity to his countenances, that renders them uncommonly tercsting. They are quite free of the more striking el fccts of boldness or brilliancy, those obtrusive excellen cies that seem to challenge, at first sight, the admiration of all who look upon them. The winning graces of Ra phael's more pathetic style steals upon the mind, and gains every moment we continue before them, seldom failing at last to fascinate every eye from the more commanding works of his rivals.
What is called the school of Raphael is the continua tion of his pictures of the Vatican, in the execution of which he took the assistance of a number of his pupils. Of the same description is that part of the palace deno minated the Loggie, where he has displayed that most re markable profusion of grotesque and arabesque ornaments, whence succeeding generations have drawn the taste and the supply of all that is beautiful in that elegant and play ful mode of embellishment. The idea, as well as much of the subjects. of these arabesques are copied from the antique, which Raphael was at great pains and expellee to collect from every quarter where they were to be found. Giulio Romano was principally occupied in painting the Loggie, and Giovanni da Udine for the stucco and gro tesque works ; besides several other painters who worked under the directions of Raphael. It was in this nursery of the art that Polidore de Caravaggio received the inspi ration of his genius.
The cartoons, which constitute the principal treasure of Raphael's works that have reached this country, were copies for the tapestry, which, till lately, ornamented the walls of the Pope's chapel at Rome, and are said to have cost seventy thousand crowns. They were bought by king Charles the First from the Flemish workmen, in whose hands they had been left. These masterpieces of invention and genius are too well known to require any description ; which, moreover, may be found at length in various works, particularly Richardson on Painting, and in No. 226 of the Spectator. His last great work was the Transfiguration, which was painted in competition with Sebastiano del Piombo, aided by Michael Angelo. This picture is understood to have been considerably damaged, when torn from its original position by the French; nor did it show so well when placed in a different light at the Lou vre.
Raphael died soon after the completion of this picture, leaving his unfinished designs, of the battles of Constan tine, to be completed by Giulio Romano and Francesco Penni. He had only reached the age of thirty-seven, and died in 1520, by the ignorance of a physician ; thus de priving the age of its greatest lustre, and the fine arts of their most brilliant prospect.
The new style and taste introduced by Raphael formed an epoch in the history of painting, which might have changed the whole future character of the art, had it not been for the untoward circumstances that followed his premature death. Michael Angelo, who followed a scheme of excellence in a rank so totally different, was still occupied in the ardent prosecution of his fame, ac companied by a numerous retinue of followers, who had keenly espoused his style. lie survived him by many years, and succeeded in obscuring the efforts made by Ra phael's school. The death of Leo, and the inattention of his successors to any thing connected with the fine arts, the devastations of the plague, and the distractions of war, finally dissolved the school of Raphael, and scattered its members to distant parts of Italy, where their works be came tinged with the various tastes of other schools.