Art is the Solution

Portrait of Young Woman with Unicorn Source: Wikimedia Commons When you hear the word Renaissance, several artists probably come to mind: Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, and Raphael. Today, Raphael Sanzio is known as one of the greatest artists of the Western tradition. His art is often praised for its beauty, balance, and clarity of style. Like many Renaissance artists, Raphael strove to capture the idealized human form in his work. The philosophy of the Renaissance movement revolved around the idea of human grandeur, which is on full display in Renaissance art. As such, Portrait of Young Woman with Unicorn presents an ideal woman by the standards of Raphael’s time. The piece features a beautiful young woman who is composed and graceful, a serious expression on her face. Behind her, we see a classic Italian loggia and a hazy landscape, while, in her arms, she holds a unicorn, a traditional symbol of purity and virginity. While the identity of Raphael’s model is unknown, the presence...

The Small Cowper Madonna Source: National Gallery of Art If you ask the average European or American to name all the famous painters they could think of, the name Raphael would probably be among the first on the list. Raphael Sanzio (usually just called Raphael) is one of the most famous painters of the Renaissance period and, more generally, in the history of art. Raphael has never been one of my favorite painters, but it’s hard to deny that his paintings are extraordinarily beautiful. Raphael possessed profound artistic talent and a masterful understanding of the human form. Unsurprisingly for the time period, most of Raphael’s paintings were religious in subject matter; in particular, Raphael returned to the Madonna as a subject many times throughout his career. This Madonna, known as the Small Cowper Madonna , is—in my opinion—Raphael’s finest depiction of the mother of God. It is an incredibly beautiful painting, exhibiting Raphael’s technical mastery and adherence to Renaissa...