Raphael was born today and passed away today leaving an impressive oeuvre. Known as the greatest painter in history, he was a fascinating man who lived in a time with Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo, who were also masters at their craft and made it no easy feat to stand out.
As Raphael and Michelangelo worked in the Vatican at the exact same time as each other, they were great rivals and both shared a great jealousy for one another. The most infamous incident is where Raphael refused to paint the ceiling of Sistine Chapel and suggested Michelangelo as he knew Michelangelo was a sculptor, not a painter, and wanted to see him struggle - history tells us that this is a somewhat ironic sentiment.
Besides being calculating, he was very social and a bit of a party animal, eventually dying of syphilis at the young age of 37. Raphael had a fiancée for over 7 years but put off marriage as he had a number of mistresses and was hoping Pope Leo X would make him a Cardinal. Rather grandiose thoughts from a grandiose individual who lived a full life and has been celebrated for centuries and will continue to be celebrated for centuries to come.
