The large and liberal hand wherewith heaven is sometimes pleased to
accumulate the infinite riches of its treasures on the head of one
sole favorite--showering on him all those rare gifts and graces which
are more commonly distributed among a larger number of individuals,
and accorded at long intervals of time only--has been clearly
exemplified in the well-known instance of Raphael Sanzio of Urbino.
[Footnote 33: From "The Lives of the Most Famous Painters, Sculptors
and Architects," as translated by Mrs. Jonathan Foster. An earlier
translation is the one by William Aglionby (1719).]
No less excellent than graceful, he was endowed by nature with all
that modesty and goodness which may occasionally be perceived in those
few favored persons who enhance the gracious sweetness of a
disposition more than usually gentle, by the fair ornament of a
winning amenity, always ready to conciliate and constantly giving
evidence of the most refined consideration for all persons, and under
every circumstance. The world received the gift of this artist from
the hand of Nature, when, vanquished by Art in the person of
Michelangelo, she deigned to be subjugated in that of Raphael, not by
art only but by goodness also. And of a truth, since the greater
number of artists had up to that period derived from nature a certain
rudeness and eccentricity, which not only rendered them uncouth and
fantastic, but often caused the shadows and darkness of vice to be
more conspicuous in their lives than the light and splendor of those
virtues by which man is rendered immortal--so was there good cause
wherefore she should, on the contrary make all the rarest qualities of
the heart to shine resplendently in her Raphael; perfecting them by so
much diffidence, grace, application to study, and excellence of life,
that these alone would have sufficed to veil or neutralize every
fault, however important, and to efface all defects, however glaring
they might have been. Truly may we affirm that those who are the
possessors of endowments so rich and varied as were assembled in the
person of Raphael, are scarcely to be called simple men only--they are
rather, if it be permitted so to speak, entitled to the appellation of
mortal gods; and further are we authorized to declare that he who by
means of his works has left an honored name in the records of fame
here below may also hope to enjoy such rewards in heaven as are
commensurate to and worthy of their labors and merits.
Raphael was born at Urbino--a most renowned city of Italy--on Good
Friday of the year 1483; at three o'clock of the night. His father
was a certain Giovanni de' Santi; a painter of no great eminence in
his art, but a man of sufficient intelligence nevertheless, and
perfectly competent to direct his children into that good way which
had not, for his misfortune, been laid open to himself in his younger
days. And first, as he knew how important it is that a child should be
nourished by the milk of its own mother, and not by that of the hired
nurse, so he determined when his son Raphael (to whom he gave that
name at his baptism, as being one of good augury) was born to him,
that the mother[34] of the child, he having no other--as, indeed, he
never had more--should herself be the nurse of the child. Giovanni
further desired that in his tender years the boy should rather be
brought up to the habits of his own family, and beneath his paternal
roof, than be sent where he must acquire habits and manners less
refined and modes of thought less commendable, in the houses of the
peasantry or other untaught persons. As the child became older,
Giovanni began to instruct him in the first principles of painting;
perceiving that he was much inclined to that art, and finding him to
be endowed with a most admirable genius; few years had passed,
therefore, before Raphael, tho still but a child, became a valuable
assistant to his father in the numerous works which the latter
executed in the state of Urbino.
[Footnote 34: Raphael's mother was Magia Ciarla, who died when he was
eight years old. He was brought up by a stepmother.]
At length this good and affectionate father, knowing that his son
would acquire but little of his art from himself, resolved to place
him with Pietro Perugino, who, according to what Giovanni had been
told, was then considered to hold the first place among the painters
of the time. Wherefore, proceeding to Perugia for that purpose, and
finding Pietro to be absent from the city, he occupied himself--to the
end that he might await the return of the master with the less
inconvenience--in the execution of certain works for the church of San
Francesco in that place. But when Pietro had returned to Perugia,
Giovanni, who was a person of very good manners and pleasing
deportment, soon formed an amicable acquaintanceship with him; and
when the proper opportunity arrived, made known to him the desire he
had conceived, in the most suitable manner that he could devise.
Thereupon Pietro, who was also exceedingly courteous, as well as a
lover of fine genius, agreed to accept the care of Raphael. Giovanni
then returned to Urbino; and having taken the boy, tho not without
many tears from his mother, who loved him tenderly, he conducted him
to Perugia: when Pietro no sooner beheld his manner of drawing, and
observed the pleasing deportment of the youth than he conceived that
opinion of him which was in due time so amply confirmed by the results
produced in the after life of Raphael....
But I have now discoursed respecting these questions of art at more
length perhaps than was needful, and will return to the life and death
of Raphael. This master lived in the strictest intimacy with Bernardo
Divizio, Cardinal of Bibbiena, who had for many years importuned him
to take a wife of his selection; nor had Raphael directly refused
compliance with the wishes of the cardinal, but had put the matter
off, by saying that he would wait some three or four years longer. The
term which he had thus set approached before Raphael had thought of
it, when he was reminded by the cardinal of his promise; and being as
he ever was just and upright, he would not depart from his word, and
therefore accepted a niece of the cardinal himself for his wife. But
as this engagement was nevertheless a very heavy restraint to him, he
put off the marriage from time to time; insomuch that several months
passed, and the ceremony had not yet taken place.[35] Yet this was not
done without a very honorable motive; for Raphael having been for many
years in the service of the count, and being the creditor of Leo X for
a large sum of money, had received an intimation to the effect that
when the hall with which he was then occupied was completed, the
pontiff intended to reward him for his labors as well as to do honor
to his talents by bestowing on him the red hat, of which he meant to
distribute a considerable number, many of them being designed for
persons whose merits were greatly inferior to those of Raphael.
[Footnote 35: The lady here referred to was Maria Bibiena, who is now
believed to have died before Raphael. To her, by testamentary
injunction from Raphael, an inscription was afterward set up in the
Pantheon, where Raphael himself was buried. In 1833 Raphael's tomb was
opened, the skeleton being found with the skull showing scarcely any
decay of the bony parts.]
The painter meanwhile did not abandon the light attachment by which he
was enchained: and one day, on returning to his house from one of these
secret visits, he was seized with a violent fever,[36] which being
mistaken for a cold, the physicians inconsiderately caused him to be
bled; whereby he found himself exhausted, when he had rather required to
be strengthened. Thereupon he made his will, and as a good Christian he
sent the object of his attachment from the house, but left her a
sufficient provision wherewith she might live in decency: having done so
much, he divided his property among his disciples,--Giulio Romano, that
is to say, whom he always loved greatly, and Giovanni Francesco, with
whom was joined a certain priest of Urbino who was his kinsman, but
whose name I do not know. He furthermore commanded that a certain
portion of his property should be employed in the restoration of one of
the ancient tabernacles in Santa Maria Ritonda,[37] which he had
selected as his burial-place, and for which he had ordered that an
altar, with the figure of Our Lady in marble, should be prepared; all
that he possest besides he bequeathed to Giulio Romano and Giovanni
Francesco,--naming Messer Baldassare da Pescia, who was then datary to
the Pope, as his executor. He then confest, and in much contrition
completed the course of his life, on the day whereon it had commenced,
which was Good Friday. The master was then in the thirty-seventh year of
his age, and as he embellished the world by his talents while on earth,
so is it to be believed that his soul is now adorning heaven.
[Footnote 36: Raphael is believed to have contracted this fever while
engaged in searching for antiquities in Roman localities where fever
might easily be contracted.]
[Footnote 37: The Pantheon.]
After his death, the body of Raphael was placed at the upper end of
the hall wherein he had last worked, with the picture of the
Transfiguration which he had executed for Cardinal Ginlio de' Medici
at the head of the corpse. He who, regarding that living picture,
afterward turned to consider that dead body, felt his heart bursting
with grief as he beheld them. The loss of Raphael caused the cardinal
to command that this work should be placed on the high altar of San
Pietro da Montorio, where it has ever since been held in the utmost
veneration for its own great value, as well as for the excellence of
its author. The remains of this divine artist received that honorable
sepulture which the noble spirit whereby they had been informed had so
well deserved; nor was there any artist in Rome who did not deeply
bewail the loss sustained by the departure of the master, or who
failed to accompany his remains to their repose.
The death of Raphael was in like manner deplored by all the papal
court: not only because he had formed part thereof, since he had held
the office of chamberlain to the pontiff, but also because Leo X had
esteemed him so highly, that his loss occasioned that sovereign the
bitterest grief. O most happy and thrice blest spirit, of whom all are
proud to speak, whose actions are celebrated with praise by all men,
and the least of whose works left behind thee is admired and prized!
When this noble artist died, well might Painting have departed also;
for when he closed his eyes, she too was left as it were blind. But
now to us, whose lot it is to come after him, there remains to imitate
the good, or rather the excellent, of which he has left us the
example; and as our obligations to him and his great merits well
deserve, to retain the most grateful remembrance of him in our hearts,
while we ever maintain his memory in the highest honor with our lips.
To him of a truth it is that we owe the possession of invention,
coloring, and execution, brought alike and altogether to that point of
perfection for which few could have dared to hope; nor has any man
ever aspired to pass before him.
And in addition to the benefits which this great master conferred on
art, being as he was its best friend, we have the further obligation
to him of having taught us by his life in what manner we should
comport ourselves toward great men, as well as toward those of lower
degree, and even toward the lowest; nay, there was among his many
extraordinary gifts one of such value and importance, that I can never
sufficiently admire it, and always think thereof with astonishment.
This was the power accorded to him by heaven, of bringing all who
approached his presence into harmony; an effect inconceivably
surprizing in our calling, and contrary to the nature of our artists;
yet all, I do not say of the inferior grades only, but even those who
lay claim to be great personages (and of this humor our art produces
immense numbers), became as of one mind, once they began to labor in
the society of Raphael; continuing in such unity and concord that all
harsh feelings and evil dispositions became subdued, and disappeared
at the sight of him, every vile and base thought departing from the
mind before his influence. Such harmony prevailed at no other time
than his own.