New York’s Met to Host First US Exhibition on Raphael’s Masterworks

Rome: New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art is set to host the first US exhibition dedicated to Raphael from March to June next year. With contributions from premier museums worldwide, the Met aims to highlight the genius of Raphael with an exhibition featuring 200 of his most significant drawings, paintings, and tapestries. The show, titled Raphael: Sublime Poetry, will be held at the museum on Fifth Avenue from March 29 to June 28, 2026.

According to Ansa News Agency, this will be the first monographic exhibition in the United States that delves into the full scope of Raphael’s life and career, starting from his early years in the Marche region where his father served as a court painter, through his period in Florence where he established himself alongside Leonardo and Michelangelo, culminating in his final years at the papal court. The exhibition will feature not just celebrated masterpieces but also lesser-known works, underscoring Raphael’s exceptional creativity.

Met Director Max Hollein noted the challenges faced in assembling the exhibition, stating, “This unprecedented exhibition will offer a groundbreaking look at Raphael’s genius and legacy.” Visitors will have a rare opportunity to view Raphael’s creative range, including many iconic works difficult to lend, some of which have never been displayed together before.

Highlights include the Alba Madonna from the National Gallery of Art, accompanied by preparatory drawings from the Lille museum, and the renowned portrait by Baldassarre Castiglione from the Louvre, considered one of the Renaissance’s greatest. Several prestigious institutions have contributed to the exhibition, including the Accademia Carrara in Bergamo, the Galleria Borghese, and the Vatican Museums, as well as international venues like the Albertina in Vienna and the Prado.

The exhibition, which took seven years to prepare, was described by Carmen Bambach, curator of the Department of Drawings and Prints, as “an extraordinary opportunity to redefine my understanding of this monumental artist.” Organized chronologically, the exhibition will focus on Raphael’s life and career, with thematic sections exploring the development of his ideas and iconography. It will also present recent scientific discoveries and pay special attention to the depiction of women, from his innovative use of nude models to sensitive portraits of the Madonna and Child.