Birthday of "Raphael" Sanzio da Urbino(1483-1520

Raphael gained fame primarily as a painter for his harmonious and balanced compositions and lovely paintings of the Madonna. During his lifetime he enjoyed the privilege of being known only by his first name, and even today few people know his last name. Until well into the 19th century, he was considered the greatest painter of all time.^[1] Besides his career as a painter in Florence and at the papal court in Rome he also became site manager of the St. Peter's Basilica and overseer of the Roman antiquities.