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Signature of Raphael

Raphael

Raphael's handwritten signature, a direct trace of the artist behind his famous workshop.

This is Raphael's own handwritten signature, a direct trace of the man behind his famous works.

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Black handwritten cursive signature reading 'Raphaello' on a plain white background, with loops and a long descending tail beneath the letter p.
Signature of Raffaello Sanzio.

About this source

What it is

This is an image of Raphael's autograph signature, reading "Raphaello" in cursive handwriting.

Why it matters

A signature is a direct, personal trace of a historical figure, different from a painting made by assistants in a workshop. It reminds students that behind the many works attributed to Raphael was a real individual who could write his own name.

Look closer

  • What can handwriting tell us about a person that a painting cannot?
  • Why might historians value a signature as evidence, even though it contains no other information?
  • How does seeing a signature change the way you think about the artist compared to just seeing his paintings?

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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