Cultural References to Raphael

In Film

Raffael, der Malerfürst (1983) - A German documentary about Raphael which follows him through his entire life and each stage of his career, including his early training under his father and Perugino, his time in Florence, and his final glorious years in Rome. It is 58 minutes long, and even though it was made in Germany, it is available in English as well

Raphael: From Urbino to Rome (2004) - Another documentary, this one originally made in English. This movie both talks about Raphael’s life journey from the small town of Urbino to the papal court in Rome as well as his paintings. This one is only 35 minutes long, however it should be available in DVD, while the previous documentary is only available in VHS.

Italian Renaissance Painting: 1450-1530 (2006) - This documentary focuses not only on Raphael but also on contemporaries including Perugino, Leonardo, and Michelangelo. It talks about the High Renaissance period as a whole, instead of focusing on the lives of these artists. Subject matter of paintings and patronage are also talked about, so this might be a good thing to watch for someone looking to learn more about the entire period.

In Literature

The Ruby Ring (2005)- A historical fiction romance by Diane Haeger based on Raphael’s relationship with Margherita Luti. It has mixed reviews, and the history the author presents seems to be inaccurate based on several of the reviews. Still, if you enjoy romantic novels and you are interested in this time period but don’t mind the historical inaccuracies, then you might as well try this book.