Book: The Turbulent World of the Divine Painter

Hailed by his contemporaries as 'the divine painter,' Raphael Sanzio of Urbino ( 1483-15200 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, a superstar even in his own lifetime, who even today remains a byword for classic perfection.

Michael Collins' new biography, Raphael's World is published as the 500th anniversary of the death of Raphael occurs in April 2020 and 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 rapidly as Raphael painted for his wealthy patrons. 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.

Based on contemporary documentation, Raphael's World follows the young Raphael from Perugia where he studied in the studio of Perugino, to Florence where he saw Michelangelo 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. The book brings the reader into the ducal court of Urbino, explores the complex and dramatically changing landscape in which the artist flourished and introduces the reader to the fascinating panoply of his patrons

Michael Collins is a priest of the Archdiocese of Dublin. He is a graduate of University College Dublin and has written and edited award-winning books, which have been translated into twelve different languages. His most recent book is Newman: A Short Biography published by Messenger Publications in 2019.

Raphael's World by Michael Collins is published in Ireland and the UK by Messenger Publications. Priced at €19.95/£17.95

For more information and to order copies see: www.messenger.ie/product/raphaels-world/