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Tertiary sourceDocument1913

Raphael entry in the Catholic Encyclopedia

Louis Gillet · 1913

A 1913 encyclopedia article by Louis Gillet summarizing Raphael's life, family, and career as a painter.

A tertiary encyclopedia summary of Raphael's life, family, and artistic career written centuries after his death.

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About this source

What it is

This is a long reference article on Raphael written by Louis Gillet for the Catholic Encyclopedia in 1913. It covers his birth in Urbino, his father Giovanni Santi's role at the ducal court, and his training and rise as a painter.

Why it matters

This entry shows how, centuries later, Raphael was remembered as one of the most famous names in the history of painting, and how encyclopedias summarized his life for general readers. It connects Raphael to the wider culture of Urbino, including figures like Baldassare Castiglione.

Look closer

  • Why might an encyclopedia from 1913 focus on Raphael's family background and the court of Urbino?
  • What kind of source is an encyclopedia entry, and how reliable is it compared to a letter or painting from Raphael's own time?
  • What details does this entry choose to highlight, and what might it leave out?

This document is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Raphael on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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