Artistoteles, vel de divninibus natruraliter agit (Plato deals with the natural things divinely while Aristotle even

with divine things naturally)-as the great Neo-Platonic philosopher Marsilio Ficino expresses in the context of this painting, their idealunion parallels the reconciliation of Platonic and Aristotelian idealism with Christian theology. For the Renaissance, it has been said that Plato and Aristotle were like Moses and the prophets, precursor of Saint Peter and Saint Paul. There are many theses that argue the Christian meaning embedded in this painting, which during the time of Raphael would have been felt by the sensitive onlookers of his works. In a time when there was not much distinction between the secular and sacred, much of what Raphael painted was thought to emanate a profoundly Christian spirit. In the context of its surroundings, the allegorical nature of the painting is highlighted. On the opposite wall to the School of Athens is the fresco painting of the Disputa. When seen with the strong Christian iconography of the Disputa, a clear relationship between Classical philosophy and Christianity can now be observed. The central figures of Aristotle and Plato illustrate the classical concept of the physical order of the universe while the figures of the Trinity in the centre of the Disputa allude to the spiritual order of the Christian universe. Here again we see the qualities of NeoPlatonism in the reconciliation of classical philosophies with Christian beliefs