Hall 26 – Raffaello & Andrea del Sarto
This room is dominated by two great leading figures of the early XVI century: Florentine Andrea del Sarto and Raphael from Urbino.
The latter arrived to Florence in 1504 and remained in the Tuscan capital until the end of 1508. During this period he painted some wonderful works such as the beautiful Madonna of the Goldfinch (c. 1505-1506), displayed in the room.
Leonardo’s influence on young Raphael is evident. In fact the faded landscape and the pyramidal composition of the figures come from Leonardo. Despite that, Raphael’s own personal style stands out unmistakably: the extreme sweetness of the gestures, the beauty of faces, and a great calm will always be his distinctive features.
In this room, we can also admire a famous Self-Portrait by Raphael (c. 1506) and the portrait of Lorenzo the Magnificent’s son, Pope Leo X with Cardinals Giulio de’ Medici and Luigi de’ Rossi (1518).
The room is also known for Andrea del Sarto’s most famous work, the Madonna of the Harpies (1517). Based on some verses of the Book of Revelation, this painting allows us to understand the many influences Andrea del Sarto absorbed during his life: the classicism of the Florentine tradition but also the great achievements of Leonardo, Michelangelo and Raphael.
Andrea del Sarto is therefore an important artist to understand the transition from High Renaissance to Mannerism in Florence, though his fame has always been eclipsed by other great names in art history.
