The First Major Survey of Renaissance Master Raphael Opens at the Met

This episode of All of It explores the first major U.S. survey of Renaissance master Raphael, titled 'Raphael Sublime Poetry,' currently on display at the Metropolitan Museum of Art through June 28th. Host Alison Stewart interviews curator Carmen Bombach, who shares insights into the eight-year journey to assemble the exhibition, featuring 237 works including 33 paintings, 140 drawings, and tapestries. Bombach emphasizes Raphael’s profound influence, his connection to Urbino, and how his art offered an aspirational, poetic ideal amid the turmoil of 16th-century Italy. The exhibit highlights Raphael’s mastery in portraiture, where he elevated his sitters with elegance and subtle flattery, as well as his disciplined drawing process that revealed the hard-won perfection behind his seamless compositions. Bombach also discusses Raphael’s complex relationships with contemporaries like Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci, portraying him as a brilliant synthesizer who absorbed and transcended their styles. The episode closes with a poetic interlude from Maggie Smith’s The Slowdown, reinforcing the theme of mindfulness and reflection. Key takeaways include: Raphael’s art created a transcendent, idealized world that countered the violence and mortality of his era; his portraits were not just likenesses but aspirational ideals of beauty and dignity; his drawings reveal a meticulous, iterative process behind his seemingly effortless perfection; Raphael’s success was fueled by both genius and strategic networking through his Urbino roots; and the exhibition’s fragility means it will only be seen at the Met, making it a once-in-a-lifetime experience. The overall tone is reverent, awe-inspired, and deeply appreciative of art’s power to elevate the human spirit.