One of the greatest Italian painters from the 15th century, Raphael is a name I associate from my 7th grade history book. Well it seemed I followed his footsteps this year…..Or he followed mine.
Chasing Raphael: Rome-Urbino-Delhi
Raphael (1483-1520)
ROME
I was at The Pantheon in Rome where Raphael is buried. The Pantheon is in one of my favorite areas in the Eternal city.
The Pantheon where Raphael is buried
URBINO
After Rome, a week later I found myself in Raphael’s home town! Urbino is the town where Raphael was born and it is wholly and solely his town. You cannot mistake it as you see postcards, stores and streets named after him.
I took a tour in town with Giovanna Luminati from Urbino who is extremely passionate about languages and her land. She enlightened me about her wonderful town completely. If you are ever in Urbino, drop her a message and take a tour. You won’t regret! She can be found on the official Tourism page of Pesaro Urbino.
House of Raphael in Urbino
DELHI
Once I got back from Italy, I found out that there was a digital exhibition of 35 of Raphael’s works! Unbelievable!!
My parents and I went to see it. Here are some unedited pictures from the wonderful digital exhibit follow. These truly capture the painter’s life of less than 4 decade aptly.
Raphael in Delhi!
La Madonna di Foligno (Madonna of Foligno)
La Madonna di Foligno was painted first on wood and later on canvas. In 1797 the French took the painting to Paris. It was only returned to The Vatican in 1816.
Il Trionfo di Galatea (The Triumph of Galatea)
Il Trionfo di Galatea was commissioned to be made for Villa Farnesina in Rome. Dolphins and winged cupids! What’s not to like??
Madonna del Cardillino (Madonna and the Goldfinch)
Sposalizio della Vergine (The Wedding of the Virgin)
Sposalizio della Vergine was painted by Raphael when he was only 21! Simply mind blown! The original is now housed in Brera, Milan.
There were many other paintings of his that I wasn’t familiar with, some of them I saw for the first time. However, the gallery has all the information you need and is definitely worth visiting if you are an art lover.. Or maybe go there just to say hello to Raphael like I did.
Thrice!
What a coincidence to get a chance to “meet” this extraordinary painter again, 3 times in 3 weeks!
31 Comments
Anuradha Goyal
March 8, 2018 at 3:58 pmWhile you were searching for Raphael in Rome, he was waiting for you back home in Delhi. That is some serendipity. Happy to be discovering Italy with you.
Ishita
March 8, 2018 at 5:35 pmSeriously it was so odd and surreal. Thank you 🙂
Bespoke Traveler
March 7, 2018 at 1:11 amWhat synchronicity Ishita! I too love the Pantheon. There’s something surreal and spiritual about being underneath that gigantic coffered ceiling staring up into the heavens imagining the Romans of old worshipping their deities.
Ishita
March 7, 2018 at 9:34 pmThank you so much for sharing your love and commenting. I was having a rough day, your comment made my day!
Bespoke Traveler
March 7, 2018 at 11:42 pm☺️ Happy to hear! I hope the rest of the week will pick up for you.
Ishita
March 8, 2018 at 11:39 amGrazie xx
America On Coffee
March 4, 2018 at 9:32 pmBeautiful reflection!
Ishita
March 5, 2018 at 8:07 pmThank you 🙂
bravenora1993
March 3, 2018 at 8:35 pmYou did a beautiful travel, Italy is full of these masterpieces.
Ishita
March 3, 2018 at 10:51 pmThank you so much. So grateful to have seen them
Tony
March 1, 2018 at 11:11 pmSo cool! I love the Pantheon too and love visiting it. Too bad they are going to start making you pay to see it.
Ishita
March 2, 2018 at 1:16 pmYes it is sad. It was free until now..
Tanja
March 1, 2018 at 8:59 pmhow fun that his works were displayed when you got back:)
Ishita
March 1, 2018 at 9:22 pmLots and big coincidence. How are you?? is it snowing therE?
Tanja
March 1, 2018 at 10:03 pmYes it’s snowing 🙂 fine
thewonderer86
March 1, 2018 at 12:37 pmI love it when the universe gives us gifts like this – all these reminders of Raphael, culminating in the big one – an exhibition in your home town. As you say – unbelievable.
Ishita
March 1, 2018 at 12:46 pmSo unbelievable! I am more interested in his paintings than ever now.
HelsinkiBudapest
March 1, 2018 at 3:57 amWhat an awesome experience! I did something similar once, and me being me I went straight to the obvious, I’d lived there before, in the time of that person. It freaked some people out. And I got it very strongly in Venice and Milan.
Ishita
March 1, 2018 at 11:01 amThank you 🙂 What happened with you in Milan and Venice??
HelsinkiBudapest
March 1, 2018 at 5:21 pmI had such strong déjà vu, I just knew I’d lived there. Obviously, with Venice everyone has seen pictures. But it was extremely strong in places I couldn’t have seen in pictures. Remember climbing the stairs at St. Mark’s Basilica and getting it really strongly there. Or a random street corner. And at the royal palace in Milan. Again, clearly a tourist attraction, but it was when standing at a certain angle. I have a memory of standing alone somewhere on that trip, which I know can’t be true, because we traveled as a group of seven. And we didn’t split off.
I kept going on and on about how I’d lived here before, in both places (we went to Venice first), and I could tell that our friend who was hosting us was freaking out, because she’s semi-religious. So I decided on, “you know why everything looks so familiar? It reminds me of France,” which is kind of funny, because in French, and we’re supposed to hate each other. 🙂
Ishita
March 1, 2018 at 8:43 pmWOW! That is something and also very specific. I can imagine why the friend was freaking out 😉 But I feel like that with most of Italy LOL! Strongly felt it in Umbria once.
HelsinkiBudapest
March 2, 2018 at 12:39 amHonestly, that was the first thing I thought about you when I saw your blog. Maybe back then you were someone who dreamed of India. 😁 Is usually how it worked for me in my past lives.
It scares the living daylights out of most people, which I totally understand. But I’ve had it all my life, and no one in my family talked about reincarnation ever. Even so, I’ve run into a few people that brought back a lot fear from various lives, so I can totally empathize with my friends.
Ishita
March 2, 2018 at 1:16 pmHaha I am an Indian 🙂 I understand what you mean. It happens , its freaky but true
HelsinkiBudapest
March 2, 2018 at 11:33 pmMore than we realize. On both accounts. But did you ever get it really strongly in Italy?
Ishita
March 3, 2018 at 1:33 pmyes for sure.
ascholarlyskater
March 1, 2018 at 2:38 amWow! That’s such a lucky coincidence. I’m glad you got to enjoy so much of his work. 🙂
Ishita
March 1, 2018 at 11:01 amIsn’t it?? Thanks !
aesha thakur
March 1, 2018 at 1:46 amThat’s so awesome😍 I wish I could see his paintings too ☹️
Ishita
March 1, 2018 at 11:02 amI am sure in Melbourne there is something going on in the National Gallery. I heard it was a global exhibit.
Darlene
March 1, 2018 at 12:34 amHow cool is that! Great to be able to be in the presence of such greatness!
Ishita
March 1, 2018 at 11:02 amSeriously so good. Especially when I was outside his home