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Here are a few quotes and reflections attributed to **Raphael** (Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino), the celebrated Italian Renaissance painter and architect. While he didn’t leave behind extensive writings like Leonardo da Vinci, we do have recorded remarks and historical reflections that convey his views on **life**, **art**, and **work**:
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### **On Work and Art**
**“When one is painting, one does not think.”**
— Raphael
> This quote is often interpreted as an insight into the *flow state*—where deep focus and intuition take over. For Raphael, true artistry wasn’t intellectual—it was embodied.
**“Art is never finished, only abandoned.”**
— Often attributed to Leonardo da Vinci, but Raphael shared similar sentiments through his perfectionism and revisions.
> Raphael was known to refine his work obsessively, striving for harmony and grace. His idea of art was one of *constant striving* rather than quick mastery.
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### **On Learning and Growth**
**“It is easier to be perfect in one art than in many.”**
— Attributed to Raphael
> Though he was a skilled architect as well as a painter, this reflects a Renaissance tension between *breadth* and *depth*. Raphael valued focused refinement, which shows in the elegance of his work.
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### **On Life and Humanity**
**“To the extent that one is moved by love, one approaches divine perfection.”**
— Paraphrased from historical writings about Raphael’s views
> His Madonnas and frescoes embody not only religious devotion but also a deep *human warmth* and *emotional clarity*, which he saw as sacred expressions.
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### **Posthumous Reflection by Giorgio Vasari (Raphael’s biographer):**
> “He was so gentle and so charitable that even animals loved him, and he was always surrounded by friends. Nature feared to be outdone while he lived, and when he died, she feared she would never produce his equal again.”
This quote isn’t from Raphael himself, but it beautifully captures how others saw his *soul as inseparable from his work*—harmonious, generous, and graceful.
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Would you like some insights from his *letters* or thoughts about his rivalry with Michelangelo?