Portrait of Raphael Sanctive

What it is

This is a black-and-white engraved print, an oval portrait showing a man in profile with long wavy hair and a cloak. Below the image is a Latin inscription naming him Raphael Sanctius of Urbino and giving the years of his birth and death. It was created by Antonio Suntach and is now held by Leipzig University Library.

Why it matters

This print was not made during Raphael's lifetime but much later, as a way of honoring and remembering him as one of the great artists of the Renaissance. It shows how later generations imagined and celebrated Raphael's image, even though no one making the print had ever seen him in person.

Look closer

• What details in the portrait suggest it was made long after Raphael died?
• Why might artists create portraits of famous people after they have passed away?
• What does the Latin inscription tell us, and why might Latin have been used?