Focus on Madonna del Cardellino and explain the Painter.
Raphael is considered to be a “master” of the High Renaissance, a title he shares with Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci. He was born in 1483 and died in 1520, living a mere thirty-seven years.  Despite his relatively short lifespan, his influence was significant. He produced a vast quantity of work in a variety of media. He was active in architecture, printmaking, painting, and drawing. During the first half of his career, he spent years in Northern Italy where he was influenced by the Florentine styles he saw there, hence this part of his life is known as his Florentine Period. In 1508, he moved to Rome where he continued to work. Many of his commissions came from the Vatican, including the Apostolic Palace, and one of his most famous works, School of Athens. Because of his relationship with the church, he and Michelangelo were fierce rivals throughout both their careers, often competing for the same commissions.
During his Florentine period, Raphael painted The Madonna Del Cardellino along with several other well-known Madonnas: The Madonna of the Meadow and La belle jardinière. All three share several characteristics: Madonna is clothed in red and blue, the same three subjects are painted, the pyramidal composition, the natural background, and the connection to the church through the representation of books, crosses, or, indeed, the goldfinch.
La belle jardinière Madonna of the Meadow Raphael Florentine Michelangelo Leonardo da Vinci painting