The famous Renaissance piece, the School of Athens, by Raphael, is one of the most iconic pieces of artwork from this time period. It ties together the connection between art, religion, philosophy, and science, which was uncommon for the time where there was a lot of turmoil within these disciplines. Painted between 1509 and 1511, it is one of four pieces on the walls of the library on the second floor in the Stanza della Segnatura.
Raphael was commissioned early on in his career to paint this fresca by Pope Julius II. He had a lot to live up to – Michelangelo had painted the Sistine Chapel around the same time, and Raphael really wanted to outdo the legend himself. Raphael had never done a fresca that large and detailed; he was known for his small religious paintings on wood and some smaller portraits. Though inexperienced, he was ready to take on the challenge and highly succeeded.
The School of Athens is a large scene of figures working on research and studying. All of these people represent someone who discovered extraordinary theories, beliefs, and information in their field. The two most important figures are Plato and Aristotle. They are directly under the archway in the vanishing point to draw the most attention to them. Plato is on the left with his finger pointing to the sky. Historians have gathered that Raphael painted Plato in this way to highlight his Theory of Forms. His theory is about how the real world does not exist in the physical world around us, but rather, a spiritual collection of abstract thoughts and ideas that we discover. On the right side of Plato, Aristotle is seen reaching out his hand to the viewer to show his own philosophy – that the real world is all around us, and we experience it by touch, sight, and sound. On the left of Plato stands Socrates, recognizable from his semblance from busts made of him. In the foreground we see Pythagoras with his book and inkwell, teaching his mathematical theories to his students surrounding him. Mathematician Euclid is also seen, bent over with his compass, teaching his students. Next to Euclid stands mathematician and astronomer Ptolemy with his back to the viewer, too caught up in his teachings to take notice of his surroundings. Some of the other notable figures throughout this piece are Diogenes, Hereclitus, Zoroaster, Averroes, Epicurus, and more. The statues in the background are Apollo, the god of music and arts, and Athena, the goddess of wisdom and reason. Apollo stands on the left, representing Plato’s teachings, while Athena stands on the right, representing Aristotle’s teachings.
This painting stands at 500 cm × 770 cm (200 in × 300 in), making it quite large and a sight to see. I hope that while in Rome, I get to see this painting in all its glory, appreciating those who paved the way for the future of math, art, and religion. This piece stands as an example for artists that experience doesn’t equal talent level – if Raphael can take on a huge fresca with no experience in the field, then other artists can go outside their comfort zone and create masterpieces.
Rome in Winter 