Raphael, Painter in Rome by Stephanie Storey
Raphael inherits his talent from his father. He is orphaned at the age of eleven and at his father’s deathbed, he promises to become the greatest artist in history. This only makes him being obsessed with perfection.
Florence, 1504. Michelangelo is commissioned for a painting, which puts painters of Florence into a rage. How such a “lowly stonecutter” can be commissioned for such “an important painting?”
As the story unravels, through the voice of Raphael we learn his thoughts and how obsessed he is with perfection. He looks at Masaccio’s fresco of Holy Trinity and admits that not one painter has achieved the way to perfection as Masaccio did. At least not yet. And “Michelangelo was not aiming for perfection, but he had given me one of the keys to achieving it.”
After finishing his commission of Lamentation of Christ, he gets papal summons to Rome.
At the Vatican, he works in close proximity to Michelangelo, sparking some rivalry.
As French army invades Italian peninsula, and as it often happens in dire times, nemeses find a common ground to save their art. Presenting a touching conversation between those two artistic icons.
When the Expulsion of Heliodorus fresco by Raphael is unveiled, the pope announces, “As you painted the world, so it became.” It seems as he paints miracles, so they arrive in the world. The peninsula is miraculously saved from the French.
Raphael’s work to perfection is very vivid through his observation of other artist’s works: Leonardo’s light, Botticelli’s vividness of figures, and Michelangelo’s capture of life; and through his own work of fresco painting, through its trial and error of perfecting its technical process, and with “creating the design, perfecting the perspective, balance, harmony.”
With great skill, the author paints beautiful portrait of a remarkable artist’s journey of self-discovery. From obsession with perfection, through rivalry with Michelangelo to understanding the core of success “that the only person I needed to chase, catch, and best…was me.”
The rivalry between Raphael and Michelangelo is a prominent part of the story. But when in strenuous need they support each other as they see it beneficial long term or maybe because they did want to compete with the best to become the best.
For the readers of historical fiction, especially those who love art, this is one of those books that you treasure greatly. It makes a much richer experience to look at Raphael’s paintings now knowing the story of this painter of perfection, how he strove to get there; to achieve what we admire now with such awe.
P.S. You can follow the author tonight 4/7/20 at 8 pm ET for Raphael Virtual Book Tour Launch on FB and Instagram @sgstorey
Release date: 7 April 2020
Source: Arcade
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