Michelangelo struggled to shake off the competition. Once the Sistine ceiling was finished, it was Raphael who got the commission to design the spectacular tapestries which were to be installed along the lower parts of the chapel walls. They are now a few hundred yards away in the Vatican’s Pinacoteca museum. And it was the younger artist who was then asked to take charge of designing a new St Peter’s church. 

Ultimately though, charm and good looks seem to have proven Raphael’s downfall – at least so ran the gossip in the 16th century. In 1514, he was reluctantly persuaded to get engaged to Maria Bibbiena, the daughter of a cardinal. It would have been a big step up socially, but Raphael could never quite bring himself to commit. As Vasari recounts, he was a “very amorous man and affectionate towards the ladies” and he had a tendency “to divert himself beyond measure with the pleasures of love”. This indulgence was blamed for a violent fever he suffered in 1520. His doctors tried to ease the condition by letting blood, but it only made things worse. Hastily Raphael drew up his will, made his confession and died at the age of just 37. 

The irascible Michelangelo was to outlive him by 44 years and ultimately had the last – no doubt bitter – laugh. In 1547, when he was already in his 70s, he was charged with finishing the rebuilding of St Peter’s. He tore up Raphael’s plans, and re-designed the dome. It wasn’t finished when he died in 1564, but what we see today is, essentially, his vision. But despite the petty feuding, the legacy of this great artistic rivalry is an astonishing one. And there are reminders of it in the greatest sights, museums and churches all over Rome. Below is more detail on where to enjoy them. 

Essentials

‘Raphael’ opens at the National Gallery today, until July 31, admission £24 (nationalgallery.org.uk)

For our detailed guide to where to stay and eat in Rome see our online guide at telegraph.co.uk/tt-rome

Covid rules: All adult arrivals in Italy must complete a passenger locator form (app.euplf.eu) and include any accompanying minors. Travellers aged six and over must be fully vaccinated or supply evidence of a negative PCR test taken no more than 72 hours before entry, a negative rapid lateral flow test taken in the last 48 hours, or a Covid-19 recovery certificate no more than six months old

Follow the Raphael Trail

Vatican Museums

As well as the frescos in the Raphael Stanze (rooms), which you pass through on the visitor route to the Sistine Chapel, the showpiece gallery of the Pinacoteca holds the tapestries depicting the life of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, which Raphael designed for the walls of the chapel. It also has three of his most important altarpieces, including The Transfiguration, his last painting, which Vasari described as  “the most famous, the most beautiful and most divine”.