Raffaello Sanzio, better known by his father and the rest of the world as Raphael, was born in the great city of Urbino, Italy, on April 6, 1483. His father Giovanni de' Santi, a painter of no great merit, but of good intelligence, had in his mind from the beginning that his only son would study the works of some of the more superior artists. Because of this desire, Raphael as a child, was expected to learn the basics of painting from the teachings of his father. Even before adulthood Giovanni insisted upon the assistance of his son while painting a number of works in and around Urbino so that Raphael could practice his skills. When his father saw that he had little left to teach his son, he traveled to Perugia to speak with Pietro Perugino, who was considered by many to be the best painter of that time. Upon his arrival Giovanni learned that Perugino was in Rome, but decided to wait for him. When the two finally met, Giovanni told Perugino of his hopes for his young son and asked if the great artist would take Raphael and teach him all that he knew. As a favor to a fellow artist, Perugino agreed to take the young Raphael under his wing.
             In 1494 Raphael went to Perugia and met the great artist his father had spoken of.
             He spent many years studying the works of Pietro Perugino and it is no secret that his technique of drawing soon changed to match those of his master. Perugino saw early in their meetings the great talent of Raphael's. He could tell that Raphael was one to take in what he was taught and develop those ideas into his own. From the start Perugino created an opinion of this great student and that opinion was later proved correct. As Raphael grew older, it was not uncommon to mistaken the works of his to be the works of his teacher Pietro Perugino.
             In 1504 Raphael moved to Florence, Italy, to begin studying the works of both Leonardo da Vinci, another great Italian artist, and Michaelangelo. He was gr...