Raphael was born Raffaella Santi in Urbino, Italy, on March 28 or April 6, 1483. He died in Rome at age 37of a fever on Good Friday, April 6, 1520. He is thought to be one of the most talented painters of the Italian Renaissance. He shared this period with Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo and these three are referred to as the great masters trinity of this time. But all was not well among them. Michelangelo despised Raphael as a young upstart who was taking his commissions. These men are said to have been complete opposites in disposition. I’m sure you can guess which one was delightful.

Raphael spent some years in Florence and returned to Rome in 1508. He gained favor with Pope Julius II and immediately received large, significant commissions including what is considered his greatest masterpiece. This work was comprised of 10 Cartoons like The Miraculous Draught of Fishes. These paintings were sent to Brussels to be woven into tapestries for the Sistine Chapel. Seven survive to the present.

Raphael is known for his clear forms, his complex compositions and his portrayal of human grandeur. His subjects are anatomically correct and positioned in crowded scenes like this one, a scene of gratitude to Jesus for the boat full of fish. The composition is interesting in many respects. The waterfowl in the foreground, the boats and people in the midground with Jesus pushed to the left edge of the painting and the background that seems to go on for miles back and back through size and atmospheric perspective, all invite us to stay a while and roam these unique placements and photographic details. It is a beautiful visual of John 21:6.

Can you imagine this as a tapestry in a small chapel covered in classical beauty from ceiling to floor? We give thanks for the church that supported artists and helped give the world priceless treasures. We give thanks for the artists who created these and the historians who preserve the pieces and stories. May we not forget or deny the unrivaled value of talent and inspiration gifted by God. Thanks be to God, the creator. Amen.

In gratitude, faith and hope,