Louvre reveals dark faces of Old Master Raphael

[October 10, 2012]  PARIS (AP) -- Raphael, the third in the Renaissance trinity of Michelangelo and Leonardo Da Vinci, is famed for his serene paintings of classic subjects -- orderly, predictable and harmonious.

But a landmark exhibit in Paris' Louvre museum reveals a darker face of the Old Master.

The exhibit shows how, in his last 10 years, Raphael faced a crippling workload and thus allowed his students to finish many of his commissions in a darker, more expressionist direction.

Louvre curator Vincent Delieuvin says that toward the end of his life, Raphael paid homage to the "dark, tense and expressive" style of Leonardo.

The Louvre said Tuesday that it's the first time all his movable masterpieces have ever been put together. Many normally hang in churches and other galleries around the world.

[Associated Press]

Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.