ANGELO ; and Fra Bartolommeo had just returned to the brush with new designs and am bitions in art. The youthful Raphael studied the frescoes of Masaccio in the Brancacci Chapel, whose "Adam and Eve" we recognize in his own Vatican frescoes, and the sculpture of Donatello, as may be seen in his admirable replica (1506) of the Louvre "Saint George," now in the Hermitage, Saint Petersburg. into which he has introduced the dramatic action of one of Donatello's reliefs in Orsanmiehele. From Leonardo he learned modeling and chiaro-oscuro; from Michelangelo anatomy and dramatic action; from Fra Bartolom meo composition and the art of enlivening statuesque groups by contrasts. His intense dili gence is proved by his surviving sketches of Michelangelo's and Leonardo's cartoons, and by the innumerable studies for his pictures. Though usnally begun with his adoption of a figure or an idea of some other master, his studies end in something quite Raphaelesque.
Raphael's development during the Florentine period can best be traced in his Madonnas, in which the influence of the various masters is most apparent. Though, like the Florentine, he por trays the simple relation of mother and child, his works are essentially original in the earnestness of form, the elimination of the accidental, and in the absolute harmony of all parts both in color and line. The first early example is the "Madonna del Gran Duca" (Pitti Palace),„ still Umbrian in the draperies and rather resembling Timoteo Viti than Perugino. The transition from fourteenth-century Umbrian to Raphael's own style is seen in the four de lightful examples at Berlin. Vienna, Florence. and Paris, in which the Virgin is represented with the infants Christ and John in the midst of a beautiful landscape. All show- the influence of Leonardo in sentiment and composition, and the last named, "La belle jardiniere," is one of the most perfect of Raphael's creations. The last of Raphael's Madonnas executed at Florence. the "Madonna del Bablachino" (Pitti), a monn mental altarpiece, shows his close association with Fra Bartolommeo. Similar in character with the Madonnas are his less numerous "Holy Fami lies," at Madrid, Munich, and especially the one with the beardless Joseph at Saint Peters burg.
Raphael's most important commissions, during his stay in Florence came from Umbria. In 1505 he executed for the convent and chapel of San Severn in Perugia the fresco the "Adoration of the Trinity," a well-balanced composition, re minding somewhat of Bartolommeo's "Last Judg ment." For Lady Atalanta Baglione of the rul ing family of Perugia, he executed "Entombment of Christ" (Borghese Gallery, Rome), an altar piece in memory of her murdered son. This is his most original composition of the Florentine period, and shows the influence of Michelangelo. Two apostles of Herculean strength bear to the tomb the body of Christ mild and beautiful in death, while Magdalen clasps his hand, and in the background the Virgin sinks into unconsciousness.
To the same period belongs the beautiful three quarter figure of "Saint Catharine" in the Na tional Gallery, London. Of his portraits the chief are those of Angelo Doni and his wife (1505), the latter recalling Leonardo's "Gio conda," the "Donna Gravida"—all in the Pitti Palace—and Raphael's own youthful likeness in the Uffizi. All of these date from the early part of his Florentine period.
From a letter of Raphael's, dated April 21, 150S, we know that he was then still in Florence, but from another of September 5th, that he was at Rome in the service of the Pope. His fellow citizen of Urbino. the architect Bramante, induced Julius H. to call him thither. With his ac customed tact, in making the best use of artists, the Pope commissioned him to fresco four cham bers of the Vatican. They were small, irregular ly built, and poorly lighted, but Raphael, aided by the advice and assistance of Bramante, trans formed them into spacious halls, with far vistas and beautiful architectural effects. In this work the development of his art during the Roman period may best be traced. The first room which he decorated was the Camera della Segnatura (1509-11), so called from the Papal signatures written there. It is by far the best. because executed almost entirely by his own hand. The general plan of the decoration was to represent the four spiritual powers "Theology," "Philoso phy," "Poetry," and "Justice." typified by beauti ful female figures occupying medallions in the ceiling of the room. On one of the large walls, under "Theology," . is the celebrated "Dis puta," in two divisions. Grouped about an altar on the earth below, grave theologians and laymen are discussing the mystery of the Trinity. One of them points upward, where, in the hierarchy of the heavens, the mys tery is revealed. While this work is still Flor entine in character, the wall under "Philosophy." the "School of Athens," shows a more inde pendent and classic art. The scene is laid in a beautiful architectural ball, in which all the philosophers and wise men of antiquity, grouped about Plato and Aristotle, are discussing the problem of life. Among the philosophers to the right Raphael has introduced his own portrait and that of Sodoma. Upon the irregular wall under "Justice" are three representations typify ing civil and canon law•. Under "Poetry." es teemed by many the most beautiful female figure which Raphael ever painted, is the celebrated "Parnassus." Surrounded by the Muses, Apollo its on a mountain which is so painted as not to be disturbed by an intervening window, and in the spaces on either side are the great poets of Greece, Rome. and Italy.