RAFFAELLO SANZIO AND THOMAS LAWRENCE

THE SCUDERIE DEL QUIRINALE IN ROME HAS AN EXHIBITION TO COINCIDE WITH THE THE 500 YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF THE DEATH OF RAPHAEL

UNFORTUNATELY THE EXHIBITION IS CLOSED DUE TO THE CORONAVIRUS

THIS POST SHOWS SOME OF RAPHAEL’S DRAWINGS AND EXPLAINS HOW SO MANY HAPPEN TO BE IN ENGLAND TODAY

RAPHAEL’S SELF-PORTRAIT IN HIS CARTOON OF ‘THE SCHOOL OF ATHENS’ - THE PINHOLES FOR TRANSFERRING THE DESIGN ONTO THE WALL ARE STILL VISIBLE

RAPHAEL WAS AN EXQUISITE DRAUGHTSMAN

CONTRARY TO HIS CONTEMPORARIES LEONARDO AND MICHELANGELO HE REALLY KNEW HOW TO DRAW FEMALE BEAUTY AND CHARACTER

RAPHAEL ARRIVED IN ROME IN 1508 AGED 25, HAVING ALREADY ACHIEVED GREAT WORK IN NORTHERN ITALY. HE WAS A GENERATION YOUNGER THAN LEONARDO AND 8 YEARS YOUNGER THAN MICHELANGELO

RAPHAEL DRAWING OF A YOUNG MAN. THOUGHT TO BE A SELF PORTRAIT. ASHMOLEAN MUSEUM OXFORD, FORMERLY OWNED BY THOMAS LAWRENCE

POPE JULIUS II, THE PATRON WHO COMMISSIONED THE SISTINE CHAPEL CEILING FROM MICHELANGELO AND THE NEW ST PETER’S BASILICA FROM BRAMANTE COMMISSIONED YOUNG RAPHAEL TO DECORATE HIS OWN PRIVATE APARTMENTS IN THE VATICAN ‘LE STANZE DI RAFFEAELLO’

RAPHAEL - APOLLO ON MOUNT PARNASSUS - POPE JULIUS’ LIBRARY IN THE VATICAN

RAPHAEL - STUDY FOR 2 APOSTLES IN THE VATICAN TRANSFIGURATION ALTARPIECE - ASHMOLEAN MUSEUM OXFORD, FORMERLY OWNED BY THOMAS LAWRENCE

THOMAS LAWRENCE THE COLLECTOR OF RAPHAEL DRAWINGS

THOMAS LAWRENCE - SELF PORTRAIT DRAWING - THE ASHMOLEAN MUSEUM, OXFORD

MANY OF RAPHAEL’S DRAWINGS ARE IN ENGLAND THANKS TO THOMAS LAWRENCE THE PREMIER PORTRAIT PAINTER IN THE REGENCY / NAPOLEONIC PERIOD. THOUGH LAWRENCE EARNED A FORTUNE WITH HIS WORK HE DIED IN DEBT BECAUSE HE SPENT SO MUCH MONEY COLLECTING OLD MASTER DRAWINGS, INCLUDING NEARLY 50 DRAWINGS BY RAPHAEL

LAWRENCE WAS THE SON OF AN INN-KEEPER FROM THE WEST COUNTRY OF ENGLAND. HIS DAD MANAGED THE BEAR HOTEL, A COACHING INN IN DEVIZES ON THE ROAD TO BATH FROM LONDON

THE BEAR STILL EXISTS TODAY

LAWRENCE HAD A PRECOCIOUS TALENT FOR DRAWING AND HIS DAD WOULD HAVE HIM MAKE PORTRAIT SKETCHES OF THE BEAR’S CUSTOMERS WHILE THEY WAITED FOR THEIR HORSES TO BE CHANGED AT THE INN

WHEN HE WAS 11 YEARS OLD LAWRENCE’S FAMILY MOVED TO BATH AND SET UP THOMAS IN A STUDIO TO MAKE SOUVENIR PASTEL PORTRAITS OF TOURISTS, THUS SUPPORTING HIS WHOLE FAMILY

THOMAS LAWRENCE 1823 - PORTRAIT OF THE CALMADY CHILDREN - METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART NY

LAWRENCE WAS SELF-TAUGHT AND ALSO SELF MADE. HE BECAME THE PRESIDENT OF THE ROYAL ACADEMY AND THE SOCIETY PORTRAITIST OF THE REGENCY PERIOD. HE PAINTED THE PORTRAITS OF ALL THE CROWNED HEADS OF EUROPE AT THE CONGRESS OF VIENNA IN 1815. HIS WORK HAS A boldness THAT HAS MORE IN COMMON WITH THE ITALIAN 16TH AND 17TH CENTURY DRAWINGS HE COLLECTED THAN WITH ‘english art’

LAWRENCE DIDN’T MARRY OR HAVE CHILDREN, THOUGH HE DID HAVE SOME UNHAPPY LOVE AFFAIRS WITH FAMOUS ACTRESSES. HE LIVED MODESTLY IN RELATION TO HIS SUCCESS, CONTINUED TO SUPPORT HIS FAMILY, AND COLLECTED ART

A LOT OF HIS COLLECTION WAS BOUGHT THROUGH THE DEALER SAMUEL WOODBURN OF ST MARTIN’S LANE, COVENT GARDEN

THOMAS LAWRENCE - PORTRAIT OF ART DEALER SAMUEL WOODBURN

LAWRENCE’S WILL STIPULATED THAT ON HIS DEATH HIS COLLECTION BE OFFERED AT BELOW MARKET VALUE, ON FIRST REFUSAL TO KING GEORGE IV, AND THEN TO THE BRITISH MUSEUM, SIR ROBERT PEEL AND THE EARL OF DUDLEY IN THAT ORDER. EACH OF THEM TURNED DOWN THE OPPORTUNITY

SO THE COLLECTION WAS SOLD PIECE-MEAL. WOODBURN BOUGHT BACK MANY OF THE BEST DRAWINGS AND THEN SOLD THEM 15 YEARS LATER TO THE ASHMOLEAN MUSEUM IN OXFORD WHERE THEY REMAIN TODAY

RAPHAEL - STUDY OF A HEAD OF A YOUNG WOMAN - ASHMOLEAN MUSEUM, OXFORD, FORMERLY OWNED BY THOMAS LAWRENCE

FOR A VIDEO TOUR OF THE RAFFAELLO 1520-1483 EXHIBITION CLICK HERE