Rome Bids Farewell to Raphael, 500 Years On

In 2020, Italy marked half a millennium since the death of Raphael — the painter of perfect grace — with a vast exhibition at Rome's Scuderie del Quirinale, gathering over 200 works, including 120 by his own hand.

It opened on 5 March to instant acclaim, then closed just three days later as Italy locked down against Covid-19. Reopened in June with extended, even round-the-clock hours, it still drew over 162,000 visitors.

Raphael died in Rome in 1520 at just 37, mourned as the embodiment of artistic harmony. Five centuries later, the city honoured him as one of its greatest sons.

Image: “"The School of Athens" by Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino” — Raphael, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.