Raphael d'Urbino
1826
Medium
Steel engraving on paper
Dimensions
Image: 11.4 × 9.4 cm (4 1/2 × 3 3/4 in.); Sheet: 27.4 × 20.4 cm (10 13/16 × 8 1/16 in.)
Classification
reproduction
Department
Prints and Drawings
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
274308
Art Historical Context
This steel engraving, titled Raphael d'Urbino, offers a 19th-century to the beloved High Renaissance master Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino. Created in 1826 an unknown artist, the modest print captures the essence of Raphael’s legacy long after his death in 1520. At a time when original paintings remained accessible only to the elite, such reproductions played a vital role in sharing his graceful style and serene compositions with wider audiences across Europe and beyond. The choice of steel engraving is particularly significant. Unlike earlier copperplate techniques, steel allowed engravers to ac...