In this episode, we profile Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino—better known as Raphael—the artist who stands alongside Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo as one of the traditional trinity of High Renaissance masters. Join us as we explore the life of a painter known for his visual achievement of the Neoplatonic ideal and the "sprezzatura"—or effortless grace—of his compositions,.

Key topics in this episode include:

• The Prodigy of Urbino: Raphael’s beginnings as the son of a court painter, his training under the master Perugino, and how he was considered a fully trained "master" by the year 1500,.

• The Florentine Influence: How Raphael assimilated the techniques of Leonardo da Vinci, adopting sfumato and dynamic pyramidal compositions to create his famous Madonnas,.

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