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Segnatura within the Vatican on the east wall, depicts a gathering of allegorical
The frescos for the Stanza della Segnatura were commissioned by Julius’ II for his
four main parts of human knowledge: Philosophy in The School of Athens, Religion
in the Disputa, where theologians present their writings, Poetry in the Parnassus,
Fortitude sit below Justice. The School of Athens was the second fresco of four
Raphael began for the papal library. All the frescos possess numerous references to
the arts of the world hundreds of years prior to rendering the frescos including
(Rowland, 103) Further study of the work and its subjects exposes the complex
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work contains many references, both obvious and slightly veiled, to philosophy,
religion, and architecture. Observation and analysis of The School of Athens provides
information on both the subjects of the painting and details of its setting, however of
specific interest of this paper is the investigation of the way Raphael seamlessly
Examination
Upon examining The School of Athens, the viewer’s gaze is pulled toward the
center of the fresco where two figures stand symmetrically facing one another. The
two central figures are to be considered the most significant as the space directly in
between where their heads are placed at the focal point, which is also the vanishing
point for the perspective of the piece. This single-point perspective not only
significance; more subtle indications are additionally included to draw the viewers’
attention. The empty space below the primary figures, for example, widens out as
the viewers’ eyes move down the fresco creating an implied triangle created by the
figural arrangement which draws the viewer’s gaze up to the point of said triangle
and back toward the two figures. An archway, separating the figures within the
space from the surrounding figures, provides a frame for those same two figures.
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“The parallelism and complementarily of this central pair is echoed and deepened
by the figures who surround them in two rows in straight lines on their left and
right and who follow this central dialogue with passionate intensity and even
158).” The immediate surrounding figures also seem to be facing the two in the
middle, who are the only ones in that area facing the viewer. The two central
philosophers are the central figures; however are not the only focal point of the
piece. Other techniques are employed to steer the viewers of the painting to other
important details. The two groups of figures in the foreground, for example, also
form triangular shapes meant to lead the viewer upwards towards the larger
grouping of people in the painting’s middle area. The tiling pattern in the floor and
background, brings the viewer’s focus once again on the fresco’s central area.
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implied upside-down triangle, with the base being at the largest arch and with a
Observations
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importance. The first step, then, is the identification of the men Raphael has
their left hand while looking at each other as if in conversation. This is the only
conversation in The School of Athens in which the “interlocutors speak and look only
at each other (Most 157-158)”. Janson identifies the two by the books they hold,
Plato with Timaeus and Aristotle with Ethics (Janson and Janson 475). Bellori also
notes the positioning of the two on the highest level of steps, which denotes their
hierarchy in the fresco. Plato’s hand gestures towards Heaven, which represents
worldly matters (Bellori 50). The other figures of the piece are identified in similar
manners. Pythagoras is identified as the figure crouched with book in hand in the
left side of the foreground. Bellori identifies the book as Pythagoras’ writing on
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the groups in The School of Athens according to his ideas of identification of the
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“O
n our left, the forward movement of the left circumambulating pair is prolonged into
one group of nine figures made up of six closely packed together (Socrates and his
listeners) and then three at some distance; on our right, the backward motion of the
right circumambulating pair is again followed by nine figures, one group of three
extending downward toward us onto the steps (Diogenes and two others) and six
others spaced out along the main floor to the right. The symmetrical disposition of
these two extensions of the central group is emphasized by the balance of two other
figures; near the extreme left on youth, his head turned away from us over his
shoulder, come running onto the scene just as at the extreme right another youth,
his head turned toward us over his shoulder, is hastily rushing off (Most 157-158).”
Glenn W. Most continues his descriptions of the remaining groups each of which is
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completely separate from the other. The second group of nine, which includes
Raphael, in the right foreground, is separated not only by location but also
additionally by their gestures and postures, which deliberately seclude them from
any other group, sealing their independence. This group appears to be involved in
the transmission and understanding of knowledge. The third and last group, like the
second are concerned only with what is occurring in their area. The group includes
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by other members of the group. Unlike the other groups, the third is subdivided into
While the identities of most of the subjects of The School of Athens have been
agreed upon by scholars through the years, it is not uncommon for there to be
variances between different descriptions of the work. One major example is that of
the figures in the right foreground. Bellori identifies the mathematician leaning
over his work as Archimedes, and the two figures with globes on the far right as
statement and argues that the figures in question are instead the mathematicians
Euclid and Ptolemy and the astronomer Hipparchus (Janson and Janson 476).
Moving on to the background figures, Janson and Bellori seem to agree on the
identity of the statues that rise above the crowd (Janson and Janson 476). The
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dominates the right side of the fresco. She was born from her father, Jupiter’s, head
and her birth is considered to be a foreshadowing of the Virgin Mary giving birth to
Christ.
the fresco. Apollo had many associations with sun, light, and healing as well. Many
of these same associations would become attributed to Christ. Apollo and Minerva
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appear to stand as reminders that in many ways these Greco-Roman gods were
predecessors to the figures of Christ and the Virgin Mary. (Rowland 105)
incorrect and that Socrates is in fact the man isolated on the steps at the feet of Plato
and Aristotle. He provides two key clues for the proposal that this figure is Socrates,
first Socrates was known to have often lacked a robe or worn a less than decent
robe and was often barefoot and second there is a cup lying to the left of the man on
the stairs possibly depicting the cup from which Socrates was forced to drink the
Hemlock which killed him. If Bell is correct this also explains the two figures to the
right of Socrates, which would have been his students Crito and Apollodorus who
were in a state of shock and disbelief at his deathbed. They are depicted in the
fresco making urgent gestures toward the man and pointing to Plato and Aristotle as
if to be imploring them for a reason for his death. (Bell 639 – 646) Beyond the
importance of scholars and students researching and debating the subjects in the
consideration. As with other interpretations relating the pagan world with the
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Christian, Bell’s interpretation lends a new theory to the death of Socrates for
teaching Philosophy to the youth of Athens could be paralleled with Christ being
killed for teaching Christianity to the Hebrews. Since Raphael did not leave any
notes or letters regarding the fresco this matter may be debated for all time;
however, in light of the above information, it is plausible that this was an intended
Structural References
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points out that while Raphael may have drawn inspiration from St. Peter’s Basilica,
the building he portrays is not an exact representation of the church. One might
deduce then that Raphael took artistic liberties with the actual plans for St. Peter’s
Basilica in order to enhance them for transformation to his fresco. Worth noting
again are the details of the statues Raphael placed within his structure. While also
considered figures to be recognized, the statues of Minerva and Apollo also fall into
the category of architecture. Raphael’s use of the Classical gods within the depiction
of a Renaissance church successfully combines that which is pagan and Christian as
well as Classical ideas with Renaissance Humanism. (Janson and Janson 475-476)
Religiously, the piece combines the pagan with the Christian in a way that
emphasizes the similarities of the two. The philosophers and scientists represent
the beauty of nature and the world that, combined with not only the artistic
representation of a place of worship, but also the piece’s existence within the
Vatican come to stand for a celebration of life and the divine. (Verdon 128-129)
While lacking the obvious Christian references of many other paintings in the
Vatican, Raphael still is able to emphasize religious themes with his subtle details
and ability to combine the thoughts and cultures of the Classical world with those of
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Conclusion
that the work succeeds in visually and culturally combining the two time periods of
the Renaissance and the Classical. The fresco’s style is clearly one of the
Renaissances and the methods used to depict perspective and the human form
confirms this. However, this, in addition to the depiction of traditionally Greek and
Classical architecture as well as subjects, both current and Classical, placed together
bridges the gap in time between the two time periods. The lack of any hint as to the
exact location where this scene might take place is due to the deliberate lack of any
outside landscape, with only sky and clouds showing we are thus provided a neutral
setting for the viewer to imagine this meeting of cultures. Overall, a detailed
types of worlds, religions, and thinkers the way thinkers of the Renaissance strived
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Bibliography
Bell, Daniel Orth. “New Identifications in Raphael’s School of Athens.” The Art
Bulletin, 77.4 (1995): 639-646. Web. 16 Mar 2010.
<http://www.jstor.org/stable/3046140>.
Janson, H.W., and Anthony F. Janson. “History of Art: The Western Tradition.” Upper
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Most, Glenn W. “Reading Raphael: ‘The School of Athens’ and Its Pre-Texts.”
Critical Inquiry. 23.1 (Autumn, 1996): 145-182. Print.
Verdon, Timothy. “Pagans in the Church: The School of Athens in Religious Context,”
Raphael’s “School of Athens.” 1997. Ed Marcia Hall. Cambridge: Cambridge
University Press, 1997. 115-129. Print.
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