AllMovie

From the Portrait of an Artist series comes a three-part program reappraising the work of Italian painter and architect Raphael. Raphael was one of the leading artists of the Italian Renaissance whose work, along with that of Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, and others, marked a turning point in Western civilization. Part two in the series, The Prince of Painters examines the second half of Raphael's career. It was during this period that the artist devoted his talent to creating works for the Vatican, including designs for the Sistine Chapel. It was also during this period that Raphael was appointed as architect of St. Peter's. In addition to celebrating Raphael's masterful works, this video explores the question of whether contemporary man can respond to great art based on philosophies of the past: the Christian story, classical humanism, and love of the Greek ideal. The Prince of Painters was filmed on location in Rome and is written and narrated by David Thomson, former art critic of the London Times.