Raphael Met Museum Retrospective Review

The Metropolitan Museum of Art has launched "Raphael: Sublime Poetry," the first major retrospective of the Renaissance master ever staged in the United States. Curated by Carmen C. Bambach, the exhibition features 237 works, including rare loans of drawings and monumental tapestries that have not left Madrid since the 16th century. While some of his most famous paintings remain in Europe, the show provides an exhaustive look at the artist's development from a teenage prodigy to a papal favorite.

This exhibition is significant for its scholarly attempt to deconstruct the myth of the solitary genius, instead highlighting Raphael’s role as a master synthesizer and manager of a massive workshop. By including works by his mentors and collaborators, the Met illustrates how Raphael’s "blessed" status was a product of collective labor and the strategic absorption of his peers' innovations. It marks a milestone in American museum programming, rivaling the scale of major anniversary exhibitions previously held in Rome and London.