Raphael is truly a universal genius of the High Renaissance - be it as a painter and architect in Florence and Rome or in the employment of popes and worldly rulers. His masterful drawings perfectly illustrate his thought and creative processes from the sk etch all the way to the finished composition. Featuring about 160 drawings and paintings, the volume assembles all of the artist's major projects. Along with Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo, Raphael ranks among the most important masters of art history . This volume presents his most significant and finest drawings and paintings and, in doing so, provides an overview of the various periods of his career: from the early Umbrian period (until 1504) and the years in Florence (1504 - 1508) to the Roman period (1508 - 1520). Based on this wealth of material, the volume examines Raphael's design methods as well as his process of preparing panel or canvas paintings and frescoes. Another focus is on the materials, such as silverpoint, pen, ink, charcoal or red chalk, which he used at particular times to accomplish specific tasks.