"Within little more than a decade Raffaello di Giovanni Santi (1483-1520) transformed himself from a master of provincial church decoration to one of the greatest painters who ever lived. This illustrated catalogue tells the story of his artistic journey from Urbino, where he was born, to the papal court in Rome, via the Central Italian cities of Citta di Castello, Perugia, Siena and Florence." "This book follows this dramatic evolution from his origins in Urbino and the early influences of his father, Giovanni Santi, and the famous Umbrian master Pietro Perugino. It explores his earliest works in Umbria and his studies in Florence under the influence of Leonardo and Michelangelo, concluding by investigating how and why Raphael's art flourished and changed so dramatically under the enlightened patronage of Pope Julius II in Rome."--BOOK JACKET.