The School of Athens

The School of Athens

The School of Athens is one of the most celebrated pieces of artwork from the age of the Renaissance. Painted by Raphael of Urbino from 1510 to 1512, the School of Athens is located in the Stanza della Segnatura at the Vatican Palace in Rome. The fresco was painted in the High Renaissance of Humanism and is the ideal embodiment of the classical spirit.

Raphael of Urbino, or Raffaello Sanzio as he was known in his day, was born in 1483 in Urbino, Italy. His father was Giovanni Santi, who was a well known artist in Urbino. As a young child, Raphael learned a lot from his father, who died when Raphael was eleven. Raphael then worked in the studio of Perugino for a few years in Perugia. Danto Barmante, the architect for Pope Julius II at that time, told the Pope about Raphael and his works (Turner,1316-1328). At the age of 26, Raphael was called to Rome to paint in the Stanze at the Vatican Palace.

The Stanze della Segnatura was the first series of rooms painted by Raphael at the Palace. The School of Athens was painted in the room that is thought to have been Pope Julius II's study. The other three frescos that accompany the School of Athens are the Disputa, Parnassus, and Cardinal Virtues. Each of these frescos embodies the four domains of learning: theology, philosophy, law, and the arts. Raphael combined Christian and Pagan iconography, realism, idealism, and grace into these paintings.

The School of Athens contains famous Greek philosophers gathered around Plato and Aristotle. Each individual is in a characteristic pose or activity that Raphael took from real life. Raphael took his rival's, Michelangelo, techniques and made them into is own energetic and realistic power into the way he grouped the individuals. Raphael distinguishes the relations among individuals and groups by the individuals' poses and where in the painting the groups are located. Each group of figures leads to the next in a woven and interlocking pattern (Hartt, 619-626). The fresco has a symmetrical design, yet there is an independence of figures and architectural settings. Raphael has devoted attention to classical architectural detail since he was an architect himself. In the room itself, each wall is framed by an arch to help support the ceiling and he incorporated this architectural feature as a motif into his composition. The architectural setting in the fresco was an advance view of St. Peter's, which was being built the same time as this fresco was painted. The lofty dome, barrel vault and colossal statuary give the sensation of the classical world and the new Christian principles. To the right and left, there are two vast niche sculptures. To the left is Apollo, the Greek god of sun, and to the left is Athena, the Greek goddess of wisdom. The setting is classical in spirit, yet christen in meaning. The shape of the building is a simplified Greek cross; harmony of pagan philosophy and Christian theology (Turner, 1316-1328). Raphael's style is a powerful, figurative style, but often within an atmosphere of calm.

The individuals in the School of Athens are significant, symbolizing various types of philosophy. The eye is drawn to the center of the fresco, where Plato and Aristotle are engaged in a discussion. Plato holds the Timaeus, the book of cosmology and numerology, while pointing upward to the realm of pure ideas. Standing next to Plato is his pupil, Aristotle, who is holding the volume of Ethics and is pointing down to the earth. These two are the central Greek philosophers who are opposite in beliefs, yet balance each other. Plato essential principle was the abstract philosophical truth, while Aristotle dealt with natural science. To Plato's right side is his mentor, Socrates, addressing a group of men, which include Alexander the Great, Xenophon, Alcibiades, and Ð"†schines.

Standing in front of the steps are figures representing mathematics and physics, which are lower