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Book Cover for: Raphael's World, Michael Collins

Raphael's World

Michael Collins

Hailed by his contemporaries as "the divine painter," Raphael Sanzio of Urbino ( 1483-1520) was one of the greatest artists of the Italian Renaissance. A contemporary of Michelangelo and Leonardo Da Vinci, Raphael was sought out by popes, kings and aristocrats to decorate their residences.

Michael Collins' new biography, Raphael's World, portrays the era in which the divine painter lived. Born thirty years after the invention of the printing press and nine years before the discovery of the New World, Raphael harnessed the new techniques of printing and the riches which flowed from the Americas into Europe in the early 16th century. The political map of Europe was changing as Raphael painted for his wealthy patrons. Pope Julius II commissioned him to decorated his apartments at the Vatican while Pope Leo X appointed him architect of the new St. Peter's which replaced the 1000 year old Constaintinian basilica. While Raphael painted the Apostolic Palace and designed tapestries to be hung in the Sistine Chapel, a German friar, Martin Luther was about to rend Christendom apart.

Raphael's World brings the reader into the ducal court of Urbino, and follows the young Raphael to Perugia where he studied in the studio of Perugino, to Florence where he saw Michaelangelo and Da Vinci at work, to Rome where he painted for popes and cardinals, as well as Agostino Chigi, one of the wealthiest patrons of the day.

Based on contemporary documentation, Raphael's World explores the complex era in which the artist flourished and introduces the reader to the fascinating panoply of patrons. This is a large format book full of colour reproductions of the artist's work and other events of that era.

The 500th anniversary of the death of Raphael occurred on 6 April 2020.

Book Details

  • Publisher: Messenger Publications
  • Publish Date: Mar 23rd, 2020
  • Pages: 128
  • Language: English
  • Edition: undefined - undefined
  • Dimensions: 7.60in - 7.60in - 0.50in - 0.85lb
  • EAN: 9781788121231
  • Categories: Movements - RenaissanceSubjects & Themes - ReligiousChristianity - Catholic - General

About the Author

Collins, Michael: - Michael Collins is an American historian who lives outside of Albany, New York. He co-authored the book Voices of the Bulge with his good friend and co-author Martin King and he is currently the historian for the 10th Armored Division Veterans Western Chapter. With help from the Western Chapter and Martin King, he fundraised and ran logistics for having a 10th Armored Division plaque dedicated next to a tank turret in Bastogne, Belgium in December, 2011 to commemorate the 10th Armored Division veterans who fought during the Battle of the Bulge. His primary interest is preserving the memory of World War II veterans through oral history and photographs.

He has lectured on the importance of oral history and the Battle of the Bulge at numerous venues including colleges, military bases, and museums. He traveled on an extensive book tour of the north eastern United States with fellow co-author Martin King which included stops at West Point Military Academy, Fort Dix, Valley Forge Military College, and the U.S. Navy Museum.

He has worked for various museums in the north eastern United States including the Destroyer Escort Historical Museum, the New York State Military Museum and Veteran's Research Center, Irish American Heritage Museum and Connecticut's Old State House. He currently works at Siena College in Loudonville, NY in the library's audio-visual department.

Michael is interested in World War II history and 20th Century U.S. and European History. He received his Bachelor's degree in history from Siena College and his Master's degree in Public History from Central Connecticut State University.