2025-07-18

[public] 22.8K views, 1.95K likes, dislikes audio only

Great Art Explained

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In the early 1500s, two of the greatest artists of all time were working just a few rooms apart in the Vatican. Michelangelo was painting the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel at the same time Raphael was working on a painting in the Pope’s private library: The School of Athens.

Both are considered masterpieces of the Renaissance. Michelangelo’s work sets out to reveal divine truth through the human form, while Raphael’s work celebrates human intellect and classical heritage. Two defining ideas of the Renaissance.

Michelangelo, a brooding, difficult loner, paints figures charged with emotion and tension, figures who often struggle alone and who are deeply introspective.

By contrast Raphael was sociable, charming and widely adored, and his work is balanced, serene and idealised. His figures are elegant, calm, engaged, and intellectually poised. The sort of company the artist surrounded himself with in real life.

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CREDITS

Script co-written by Laura Beardsell-Moore

Opening Animation and Title Sequence by Brian Adsit (instagram https://instagram.com/brian_vfx?utm_m... and Behance www.behance.com/badsit88)

Recording by Robert Lewis

VIDEOS

All the videos, songs, images, and graphics used in the video belong to their respective owners and I or this channel do not claim any right over them.

MUSIC

Ave Maria

Tocccata for Harpsichord in G Minor by Alessandro Scarlatti

BOOKS

The Invention of the High Renaissance by Christof Thoenes

Raphael by David Ekserdjian , Tom Henry, et al.

Raphael (World of Art) by Paul Joannides

Raphael's 'School of Athens' (Masterpieces of Western Painting) by Marcia Hall

Copyright Disclaimer under section 107 of the Copyright Act of 1976, allowance is made for “fair use” for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, education and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing.