2. Important town in the Marche Region, particularly famous for its Ducal Palace, it is few kilometres far from Pesaro

3. The famous painter Raffaello Sanzio was born here

4. Raffaello Sanzio He was born in Urbino in 1483. The painter Giovanni Santi was his father who gave him the first artistic teachings. But he had his real training in the studio of a famous painter “ Il Perugino “, where he worked since 1497.

5. In 1504 he moved to Florence where he saw Michelangelo and Leonardo in action.

6. In 1508 Pope Julius II sent for him in Rome assigning him to fresco his apartments in the Vatican City. By now he is considered the greatest artist for the time being. In 1514 he was appointed architect in St.Peter’s new construction. He was intensively active in painting frescoes, portraits, ”Madonnas” and huge religious works.

7. THE MOST FAMOUS PAINTINGS

8. St.George and the Dragon 1504 The transfiguration 1518-1520

9. The Blessed Virgin’s Wedding. ( The characters are set in a natural position and the composition has a calm and graceful dynamism Madonna del Cardellino Madonna della Seggiola

10. The Athenian school 1509-1511 1. The Athenian school : the fresco is dedicated to the exaltation of philosophy. Among a crowd of learned men, we can see the two greatest philosophers of the ancient times : Plato ( whose character is pointing to heaven alluding to idealism ) and Aristotle ( with his hand turned down to the ground meaning realism ).

11. Santa Caterina d’Alessandria Preparatory sketch

12. Muore Raffaello died in Roma in 1520.