Art Review: Raphael Show in Rome

I’m in Rome to cover the majestic new exhibition at the Scuderie del Quirinale commemorating the 500th anniversary of the death of Raffaelo Sanzio da Urbino (1483–1520), or Raphael, as we Americans call him. I resolved to see the exhibition — 250 paintings, drawings, prints, books, and letters — when I heard about it last year, and nearly made it in March. The show opened on March 2 and had a run of exactly three days before Italy closed its museums, thanks to the virus mill in Wuhan.

Raffaello: 1520–1483 reopened in the beginning of June, coincidentally on the day it was slated to close. During the lockdown, its curators persuaded every lender to allow every loan to stay in Italy for an extended period ending August 30. Not a single curmudgeon insisted on having his Raphael back. That’s Herculean work. Judging from the exhibition, they’re brilliant. They mustn’t lack for grit and charm, either. Basically, they organized an exhibition of precious Raphaels and did it twice.

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Brian T. Allen

Brian T. Allen is National Review’s art critic.

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I’m in Rome to cover the majestic new exhibition at the Scuderie del Quirinale commemorating the 500th anniversary of the death of Raffaelo Sanzio da Urbino (1483–1520), or Raphael, as we Americans call him. I resolved to see the exhibition — 250 paintings, drawings, prints, books, and letters — when I heard about it last year, and nearly made it in March. The show opened on March 2 and had a run of exactly three days before Italy closed its museums, thanks to the virus mill in Wuhan.

Raffaello: 1520–1483 reopened in the beginning of June, coincidentally on the day it was slated to close. During the lockdown, its curators persuaded every lender to allow every loan to stay in Italy for an extended period ending August 30. Not a single curmudgeon insisted on having his Raphael back. That’s Herculean work. Judging from the exhibition, they’re brilliant. They mustn’t lack for grit and charm, either. Basically, they organized an exhibition of precious Raphaels and did it twice.