Raphael and His Circle

Raphael was one of the greatest artistic figures working in the Western classical tradition. In celebration of the 500th anniversary of his death, the National Gallery of Art has assembled 25 prints and drawings in an intimate installation, Raphael and His Circle. Aside from their inherent quality, the works demonstrate the master’s creative process and suggest how  his art became  a standard of aesthetic excellence.

The exhibition features four drawings by Raphael: the sheet from which the design of his painting Saint George and the Dragon was transferred; the cartoon for the so-called La Belle Jardinière; a detailed representation of the prophets Hosea and Jonah; and a well-known study for part of the frescoes in the church of Santa Maria della Pace in Rome. Nine drawings by his closest collaborators and followers—Giulio Romano, Polidoro da Caravaggio, and Perino del Vaga—are also on view. The gallery’s five paintings by Raphael, the largest and most important group outside a few European collections, represent the central decade of his activity and are on view on the main floor of the West Building to complement this exhibition.

Join Jonathan Bober, Andrew W. Mellon senior curator of prints and drawings at the National Gallery of Art, as he presents an overview of the exhibition he curated.

World Art History Certificate elective: Earn 1/2 credit*

*Enrolled participants in the World Art History Certificate Program receive 1/2 elective credit. Not yet enrolled? Learn about the program, its benefits, and how to register here.