Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1883-05-10
BAPHAEL's MARCH TO FAME,
His Best Works 20 be Seen In
ROme-ERis Epitaph.
Rome Letter to tho Paris American Register.

Rome Letter to the Paris American Register.
| Rsphael's name "Sanzio" is a deri-
walton from the Latin Sanctius," we
are told. But Raphael never used
his family name when signing any Of
his pictures OF letters. L send you a
fac smile of his handwriting, which |
have cut from the PopAlo Romano,
Raphael's father was also something Of
a painter and apost. Rsphael's master
was Perugino. he remained in this
studio till 1904. Il Is said that about
this time Raphael played a-trick on
Perugino, which at once revealed his
superior genius. Perugino was man
of orderly habits, and to tease him
Raphael one day painted some fish on
the stairs that led to the studio, as if
they had been dropped there BY
chance. When Perugino saw this he
called out to the cook, asking in angry
tones why she did not come to pick up
the fish she had dropped and he stopped
to pick them up himself. When he
discovered that they were painted, his
cheek flushed with surprise. who
has done this?" he asked. When he
was told it was his pupil, Raphael, he
said, taking off his cap, ut is he who
is master now; | have nothing more
to teach him; he can teach mel"
Raphael painted about twenty pic
lures whilst with Perugino, but it was
not Raphael till he had worked some
time by himself. At first, however,
he attracted but little attention. He
was SO girlish in appearance that he
was called, almost in jest, "Graziosis-
simo." For time he seemed crushed
by Leonardo Michelaugelo and other
giants of the period whe lowered
above him. But genius must assert
itself in the end, and the little Urban
lite, in his turn became a giant, and
eelipsed in glory all his contempora
ries. From 1854 to 1903 Raphael
remained in Florence. In 1904
he went to Rome. He
was then twenty-five years of
age. Julius ii. was Pope, and from
him he had the commission to deco.
rate the Segnatura Hall. Raphael
composed the design entirely out Of
his own imagination, and this was
presented to the Pope by Bramante.
Julius III. no sooner cast his eyes on
this design than he discovered Raph-
ael's genius in it. The subject was
allegorical, and Raphael introduced
religion, science, art aud law In his
design, which was to cover the walls
of the immense hall, which has yet
no rival for sublimity of the painters
art. He finished this work in less
than three years, and for nine years
more he worked in Rome, filling it
with his works that have been the
wonder of the world. Death overlook
him in the midst of his greatest work,
and his worshipers say that even this
early death contributed to his immsr-
tai fame, for it overlook him in the
zenith of his artistic power and glory,
when he could not go further in per-
lection OF conception or execution.
He had reached the summit of his
greatness, they say
When he was buried the Trans
fguration" was placed on his coffin,
and thus he was carried to his grave,
covered by his own glory. Over his
tomb was written the following cpl.
taph, which he himself dictated:
"Hic lille est Raphael, timuit quo
sospite vincit. Herum magma parens
ct moriente mort.
His tomb was reopened in 1893, and
his remains placed in an urn.
1t is in Rome where the best works
of Raphael are to be seen. Besides
his galleries at the Vatican there is
the Christ at the Sepulcher" In the
Borghese gallery, the Portrait of the
FOrnarina" at the Barberini Palace,
the "Violinist" at the Sciarra Palace
and the famous "Galathea" and
Psyche" in the Farnesina Palace.
His Apollo Marsyas" is in Mr..
Morris Moore's gallery. As already
stated, Mr.. Moore has also portrait
of Dante by Raphael, painted tor Car
dinal Bembo; and thus plain En-
glish gentleman is as rich in art
treasures as the richest Roman
Prince.