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 Raphael Sanzio: 5th Centenary of Birth Scott 725-728 (1983) On June 14, 1983, Vatican City released four stamps and one aerogramme commemorating the fifth centenary of the birth of the great Renaissance artist Raphael. The stamps shown above depict the four allegories painted by Raphael on the ceiling of the Stanza Della Segnatura: Theology (50 lire), Poetry (400 lire), Justice (500 lire) and Philosophy (1200 lire). The 1983 aerogramme is shown at the bottom of this article. Born in 1483 in Urbino, Italy, Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino, most commonly referred to simply as Raphael, was a painter and architect during the High Renaissance period. Along with Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci, he forms the traditional trinity of great masters of that period. Despite his short life, he leaves behind an enormous body of work, dating from his early years in Umbria, a four-year period in Florence, and culminating in his most productive and acclaimed time in Rome. His most well-known works are found in the Vatican Palace, where the frescoed Raphael Rooms were the central, and the largest, works of his career. Perhaps his best known work is The School of Athens, found in the Vatican Stanza della Segnatura. In addition to working for two popes at the Vatican, he was also given commissions elsewhere in the city. He was still at the height of his powers at the time of his death in Rome on April 6, 1520. Raphael and his works are represented voluminously on the stamps and postal history of the Vatican, beginning in 1944. A search of the stamps on the VPS website under the Stamp Database Search is a worthwhile review and provides an appreciation of his impact on Vatican philately. Here is a sampling of Vatican City stamps featuring the works of the great Raphael:  Raphael: Pontifical Academy Issue Scott 87 (1944) 
 Christmas 1959 Scott 266-268 
  'The Disputation of the Holy Sacrament' Scott 1422-1425 (2009) 
 'Expulsion of Heliodorus from the Temple' Scott 1480-1481 (2011) 
 Raphael Madonnas Scott 1497-1498 (2012)  Year of Faith: 'Theological Values' Scott 1517 (2013)  'Mass of Bolsena' Scott 1518 (2013) 
 Raphael: 5th Centenary of Death 'Transfiguration of Jesus' and Self-Portrait Scott 1744 and 1744b (2020)  Raphael Sanzio: 5th Centenary of Birth Aerogramme (1983) REFERENCES: |
