Raphael ⁽¹⁾

Raphael, the Renaissance rockstar (minus the guitar), was born in 1483 in Urbino, Italy—and by the time he hit his twenties, he was already being hailed as one of the greatest painters of his time. He had that golden touch, blending harmony, grace, and balance into every brushstroke. Whether it was dreamy Madonnas or grand frescoes, Raphael had a way of making divinity feel effortlessly elegant. His most famous works include The School of Athens, a fresco that’s basically the Renaissance’s version of a group selfie—with Plato, Aristotle, and even Raphael himself making appearances.

Here’s a fun twist: despite his towering legacy, Raphael only lived to be 37. Yet in that short time, he managed to leave a massive mark on the art world—not just with his paintings, but also with his architectural designs and his influence on the Vatican. Rumor has it that his charm was as legendary as his talent, and some even say he died of a fever brought on by... too much romance. Whatever the truth, his art lives on, all beauty and balance, like the Renaissance on its best day.