Reflections on Raphael: Rome School professor at the centre of celebrations

Prof. Tom Henry, Academic Director of the University of Kent Rome School of Classical and Renaissance Studies, was in Italy last week for events associated with three exhibition openings.

The quincentenary exhibitions marking the 500th anniversary of the death of Raphael in April 1520 kicked off in the artist’s hometown, with Raffaello e gli amici di Urbino. The Raphael year culminates with a major exhibition at the National Gallery, London (co-curated by Prof. Henry) which opens on 3 October 2020. Celebrations of this anniversary will be the focus of Kent’s MA History of Art teaching in Rome this coming spring.

After Urbino it was onto Mantua, where Raphael’s principal pupil, Giulio Romano, was court artist from 1524 until his death in 1546. Thirty years after the last great exhibition devoted to Giulio, Mantua has again rolled out the red carpet for the artist with two exhibitions: Giulio Romano, Art and Desire at the Palazzo Te and Giulio Romano a Mantova at the Palazzo Ducale.

Last week’s events included a study day to discuss the state of Giulio studies in 2019, and it is anticipated that the opening of these great exhibitions will encourage new study of the artist and spur further interest in his art.

In the enthusiastic words of Prof. Henry, applications to base an MA at Kent on studying Giulio Romano are always welcome!

Photo: Tom Henry studying the Two Lovers from St Petersburg up close and personal at the exhibition Giulio Romano, Art and Desire at the Palazzo Te