At a time when American artists were looking abroad for inspiration, European Old Masters became popular portrait subjects. During the 1800s, painters held the Italian High Renaissance artist Raphael in high regard and viewed his art as marking a rebirth of the Classical spirit. Presented with elegant surface detail, Thomas Crawford’s Raphael is as much a celebration of this revered fifteenth-century painter as it is a showcase of the sculptor’s skill. His exquisite marble rendering of lace, silk, and other textiles made this among Crawford’s most successful works.