Italian artist Raphael created paintings and frescoes and also worked as an architect during the Renaissance. This biography discusses Raphael's childhood, early artwork, commissions, patrons such as the Catholic Church and the Medici family, frescoes for the Vatican, work as an architect of St. Peter's Basilica, tapestry designs for the Sistine Chapel, workshop, and artistic rivalries and competitions. Sidebars, a glossary, an index, and a phonetics section accompany easy-to-read text and full-color reproductions of Raphael's artwork, including Madonna del Granduca, Marriage of the Virgin, The Entombment, School of Athens, and Sistine Madonna.