Raphael med sin elskerinde 1480 - 1532

Editor: This print, “Raphael and His Mistress”, attributed to Ugo da Carpi and made sometime between 1480 and 1532, shows a rather intriguing scene. The medium—a drawing and print on paper using ink—gives it a delicate feel, but the interaction between the two figures has an undeniable weight to it. What captures your attention when you look at this, especially thinking about the title? Curator: Well, right off the bat, that title! "Raphael and His Mistress" – it's like gossip handed down through the ages. What's truth and what's juicy speculation? That's the first layer. Then I look at their posture. He’s gesturing, a bit of a showman perhaps, and she's leaning back, thoughtful, maybe a touch skeptical? I always wonder about the stories behind the stories we think we know, you know? I feel that I can imagine the relationship dynamic when I see that she’s a very composed character while he has many moves like in an opera! Does she look in love or tired of him? The artist's technique, playing with the light and shadow – do you see how it amplifies that tension, creates little hidden corners of meaning? Editor: Definitely! The way the light emphasizes her face and his outstretched hand is almost cinematic. I hadn't considered the power of the shading in adding tension. It’s like the artist is nudging us to fill in the blanks, to complete this relationship narrative. The shadows add a story of its own. Curator: Precisely! Art isn't just about what's there; it's about what's *implied*. And who made this image, so long after Raphael died? So they must've already had this lore of Raphael, the master and ladies man. Think about why this person chose to create and circulate this narrative. Was it pure fan admiration? Maybe jealousy? Something a bit darker and knowing? Editor: So, we’re left to piece together not just Raphael's story, but also the story of how Raphael was *received* through the years. The way a figure can become an iconic representation through artistic rendering is indeed an enriching view! Thank you so much! Curator: My pleasure. The pleasure's always in the unraveling.