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Raphael’sCombiningthePaganPastwiththeChristianPresentinTheSchoolofAthens
ByJenifferHarrison–Spring2010
Raphael’sSchoolofAthens(1510‐1511),afrescolocatedintheStanzadella
SegnaturawithintheVaticanontheeastwall,depictsagatheringofallegorical
figuresofancientphilosophersandotherintellectualsandinnovatorswithinan
architecturallyGreco‐RomanClassicalstructure.
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ThefrescosfortheStanzadellaSegnaturawerecommissionedbyJulius’IIforhis
papallibrary toportraythe
fourmainpartsofhumanknowledge:PhilosophyinTheSchoolofAthens,Religion
intheDisputa,wheretheologianspresenttheirwritings,PoetryintheParnassus,
wherewritersgroup,andJurisprudencewherePrudence,Temperance,and
FortitudesitbelowJustice.TheSchoolofAthenswasthesecondfrescooffour
Raphaelbeganforthepapallibrary.Allthefrescospossessnumerousreferencesto
theartsoftheworldhundredsofyearspriortorenderingthefrescosincluding
scienceandmathematics,whilebeingadistinctivelyRenaissanceworkofart.
(Rowland,103)Furtherstudyoftheworkanditssubjectsexposesthecomplex
symbolismutilizedbyRaphaelandrevealsmultiplelevelsofinterpretation.The
workcontainsmanyreferences,bothobviousandslightlyveiled,tophilosophy,
religion,andarchitecture.ObservationandanalysisofTheSchoolofAthensprovides
informationonboththesubjectsofthepaintinganddetailsofitssetting,howeverof
specificinterestofthispaperistheinvestigationofthewayRaphaelseamlessly
blendedClassicaltimeswiththeRenaissanceperiodart.
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Examination
UponexaminingTheSchoolofAthens,theviewer’sgazeispulledtowardthe
centerofthefrescowheretwofiguresstandsymmetricallyfacingoneanother.The
twocentralfiguresaretobeconsideredthemostsignificantasthespacedirectlyin
betweenwheretheirheadsareplacedatthefocalpoint,whichisalsothevanishing
pointfortheperspectiveofthepiece.Thissingle‐pointperspectivenotonly
illustratestheirhierarchalimportance,italsoservestobeevidenceforthe
importanceofthedisciplineofphilosophy.Asthefiguralportrayalofhierarchyin
Renaissanceartisprevalent,thisisthemostobvioussuggestionoftheir
significance;moresubtleindicationsareadditionallyincludedtodrawtheviewers’
attention.Theemptyspacebelowtheprimaryfigures,forexample,widensoutas
theviewers’eyesmovedownthefrescocreatinganimpliedtrianglecreatedbythe
figuralarrangementwhichdrawstheviewer’sgazeuptothepointofsaidtriangle
andbacktowardthetwofigures.Anarchway,separatingthefigureswithinthe
spacefromthesurroundingfigures,providesaframeforthosesametwofigures.
“Theparallelismandcomplementarilyofthiscentralpairisechoedanddeepened
bythefigureswhosurroundthemintworowsinstraightlinesontheirleftand
rightandwhofollowthiscentraldialoguewithpassionateintensityandeven
involuntaryastonishment,therebyprogrammingourownreaction(Most157‐
158).”Theimmediatesurroundingfiguresalsoseemtobefacingthetwointhe
middle,whoaretheonlyonesinthatareafacingtheviewer.Thetwocentral
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philosophersarethecentralfigures;howeverarenottheonlyfocalpointofthe
piece.Othertechniquesareemployedtosteertheviewersofthepaintingtoother
importantdetails.Thetwogroupsoffiguresintheforeground,forexample,also
formtriangularshapesmeanttoleadtheviewerupwardstowardsthelarger
groupingofpeopleinthepainting’smiddlearea.Thetilingpatterninthefloorand
thedepictionofarchesinahallway‐likearea,whichdiminishesintothe
background,bringstheviewer’sfocusonceagainonthefresco’scentralarea.
Thearchescreatean
impliedupside‐downtriangle,withthebasebeingatthelargestarchandwitha
pointthatleadsdowntowardsthecenter.
Observations
Observationofthesubjectsinthefrescoleadstotheanalysisoftheir
importance.Thefirststep,then,istheidentificationofthemenRaphaelhas
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portrayed.SincethetimeofVasari’sLivesoftheArtistsuntiltoday,debateonthe
identityofthefiguresinthefresco
continues.Althoughtherearemany
theoriesandspeculations,eachwith
compellingevidence,manyfiguresare
generallyagreedupon(Bell639–646).
Twosuchfiguresarethemainfiguresof
PlatoandAristotle.Eachmangestures
withhisrighthandandholdsathickfolioin
theirlefthandwhilelookingateachother
asifinconversation.Thisistheonly
conversationinTheSchoolofAthensin
whichthe“interlocutorsspeakandlookonlyateachother(Most157‐158)”.Janson
identifiesthetwobythebookstheyhold,PlatowithTimaeusandAristotlewith
Ethics(JansonandJanson475).Bellorialsonotesthepositioningofthetwoonthe
highestlevelofsteps,whichdenotestheirhierarchyinthefresco.Plato’shand
gesturestowardsHeaven,whichrepresentsPlato’scontemplationofthedivineand
Aristotle’shandisextendedasasymbolofworldlymatters(Bellori50).Theother
figuresofthepieceareidentifiedinsimilarmanners.Pythagorasisidentifiedasthe
figurecrouchedwithbookinhandintheleftsideoftheforeground.Bellori
identifiesthebookasPythagoras’writingonharmonicproportions(Bellori49‐50).
GlennW.MosteloquentlydescribesoneofthegroupsinTheSchoolofAthens
accordingtohisideasofidentificationofthefresco’smemberswhenhesays,
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“Onourleft,theforwardmovementoftheleftcircumambulatingpairisprolonged
intoonegroupofninefiguresmadeupofsixcloselypackedtogether(Socratesand
hislisteners)andthenthreeatsomedistance;onourright,thebackwardmotionof
therightcircumambulatingpairisagainfollowedbyninefigures,onegroupofthree
extendingdownwardtowardusontothesteps(Diogenesandtwoothers)andsix
othersspacedoutalongthemainfloortotheright.Thesymmetricaldispositionof
thesetwoextensionsofthecentralgroupisemphasizedbythebalanceoftwoother
figures;neartheextremeleftonyouth,hisheadturnedawayfromusoverhis
shoulder,comerunningontothescenejustasattheextremerightanotheryouth,
hisheadturnedtowardusoverhisshoulder,ishastilyrushingoff(Most157‐158).”
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GlennW.Mostcontinueshisdescriptionsoftheremaininggroupseachofwhichis
completelyseparatefromtheother.Thesecondgroupofnine,whichincludes
Raphael,intherightforeground,isseparatednotonlybylocationbutalso
additionallybytheirgesturesandpostures,whichdeliberatelysecludethemfrom
anyothergroup,sealingtheirindependence.Thisgroupappearstobeinvolvedin
thetransmissionandunderstandingofknowledge.Thethirdandlastgroup,likethe
secondareconcernedonlywithwhatisoccurringintheirarea.Thegroupincludes
Pythagoraswritingonhistabletwhileothermencroucharound
asiftoaccessanunyieldingsecretivenessheld
byothermembersofthegroup.Unliketheothergroups,thethirdissubdividedinto
twosubgroups.(Most157‐158)
NewIdentificationofFrescoFigures
WhiletheidentitiesofmostofthesubjectsofTheSchoolofAthenshavebeen
agreeduponbyscholarsthroughtheyears,itisnotuncommonfortheretobe
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variancesbetweendifferentdescriptionsofthework.Onemajorexampleisthatof
thefiguresintherightforeground.Belloriidentifiesthemathematicianleaning
overhisworkasArchimedes,andthetwofigureswithglobesonthefarrightas
astronomersChaldeansandZoroaster(Bellori52‐53).Jansonchallengesthis
statementandarguesthatthefiguresinquestionareinsteadthemathematicians
EuclidandPtolemyandtheastronomerHipparchus(JansonandJanson476).
Movingontothebackgroundfigures,JansonandBelloriseemtoagreeonthe
identityofthestatuesthatriseabovethecrowd(JansonandJanson476).The
femalestatueisMinerva;goddessofwisdomandreason
dominatestherightsideofthefresco.Shewasbornfromherfather,Jupiter’s,head
andherbirthisconsideredtobeaforeshadowingoftheVirginMarygivingbirthto
Christ.
ThemalestatueisApollo;
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godofhealthandmusicwhichdominatesthelefthalfof
thefresco.Apollohadmanyassociationswithsun,light,andhealingaswell.Many
ofthesesameassociationswouldbecomeattributedtoChrist.ApolloandMinerva
appeartostandasremindersthatinmanywaystheseGreco‐Romangodswere
predecessorstothefiguresofChristandtheVirginMary.(Rowland105)
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AnotherargumentisoverwhereSocratesisincludedinthefrescoashewas
consideredtobeoneofthegreatest
philosophersotherthanPlatoandAristotle
andshouldhaveasignificantlocationinthe
fresco.OnepostulationbyDanielBellis
thatBellori’sidentificationofSocrates
besidethemilitarymanofftothefarleftis
incorrectandthatSocratesisinfactthemanisolatedonthestepsatthefeetofPlato
andAristotle.HeprovidestwokeycluesfortheproposalthatthisfigureisSocrates,
firstSocrateswasknowntohaveoftenlackedarobeorwornalessthandecent
robeandwasoftenbarefootandsecondthereisacuplyingtotheleftofthemanon
thestairspossiblydepictingthecupfromwhichSocrateswasforcedtodrinkthe
Hemlockwhichkilledhim.IfBelliscorrectthisalsoexplainsthetwofigurestothe
rightofSocrates,whichwouldhavebeenhisstudentsCritoandApollodoruswho
wereinastateofshockanddisbeliefathisdeathbed.Theyaredepictedinthe
frescomakingurgentgesturestowardthemanandpointingtoPlatoandAristotleas
iftobeimploringthemforareasonforhisdeath.(Bell639–646)Beyondthe
importanceofscholarsandstudentsresearchinganddebatingthesubjectsinthe
frescotouncovertheidentitiesofthepeopleportrayedisanotherimportant
consideration.Aswithotherinterpretationsrelatingthepaganworldwiththe
Christian,Bell’sinterpretationlendsanewtheorytothedeathofSocratesfor
teachingPhilosophytotheyouthofAthenscouldbeparalleledwithChristbeing
killedforteachingChristianitytotheHebrews.SinceRaphaeldidnotleaveany
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notesorlettersregardingthefrescothismattermaybedebatedforalltime;
however,inlightoftheaboveinformation,itisplausiblethatthiswasanintended
foreshadowingeffectbyRaphael(Bell639–646).
StructuralReferences
InadditiontotherichsymbolismRaphaelutilizedregardingthefiguresin
TheSchoolofAthens,Raphael’sattentiontoarchitecturaldetailaddstothemeaning
oftheworkanditsattempttocombinetheRenaissancewiththeClassicalperiod.
ThestructureclearlyreferencesstylesfromClassicaltimes,asevidencedbythe
presenceofcolumnsandarches,whichwerepioneeredbytheGreeksandwidely
utilizedinRomancivilization.Thestructureitselfshowsthatitislargelyopento
theoutsideworld,whichwasquitecommoninGreekandRomanbuildings.Pierced
bythreewindows,thedomedvaultresemblesDonatoBramante’sdesignofSt.
Peter’sBasilica.Thetriplewindowechoesasequenceofthethreesizeableopenings
behindthedomebringingawarenesstomanysubtlenumericalelementsRaphael
implementedintohisdesign,muchlikethetriadreferringtotheHolyTrinity
utilizedinmuchoftheChristianChurcharchitecture.ForJuliusII,TheSchoolof
Athenswasthe
incarnationofa
ChristianKingdomof
Romeunderhisrule
(Rowland104).As
Liebermanpointsout
thatwhileRaphael
mayhavedrawn
inspirationfromSt.
Peter’sBasilica,the
buildingheportraysis
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notanexactrepresentationofthechurch.OnemightdeducethenthatRaphaeltook
artisticlibertieswiththeactualplansforSt.Peter’sBasilicainordertoenhance
themfortransformationtohisfresco.Worthnotingagainarethedetailsofthe
statuesRaphaelplacedwithinhisstructure.Whilealsoconsideredfigurestobe
recognized,thestatuesofMinervaandApolloalsofallintothecategoryof
architecture.Raphael’suseoftheClassicalgodswithinthedepictionofa
RenaissancechurchsuccessfullycombinesthatwhichispaganandChristianaswell
asClassicalideaswithRenaissanceHumanism.(JansonandJanson475‐476)
MeldingofChristianityandPaganImages
TheSchoolofAthensrepresentsatitscoreameldingoftwoworlds.
Religiously,thepiececombinesthepaganwiththeChristianinawaythat
emphasizesthesimilaritiesofthetwo.Thephilosophersandscientistsrepresent
thebeautyofnatureandtheworldthat,combinedwithnotonlytheartistic
representationofaplaceofworship,butalsothepiece’sexistencewithinthe
Vaticancometostandforacelebrationoflifeandthedivine.(Verdon128‐129)
WhilelackingtheobviousChristianreferencesofmanyotherpaintingsinthe
Vatican,Raphaelstillisabletoemphasizereligiousthemeswithhissubtledetails
andabilitytocombinethethoughtsandculturesoftheClassicalworldwiththoseof
theRenaissanceworld.
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Conclusion
WhilevariousinterpretationsofRaphael’sdetailspersisttoday,itisclear
thattheworksucceedsinvisuallyandculturallycombiningthetwotimeperiodsof
theRenaissanceandtheClassical.Thefresco’sstyleisclearlyoneofthe
Renaissancesandthemethodsusedtodepictperspectiveandthehumanform
confirmsthis.However,this,inadditiontothedepictionoftraditionallyGreekand
RomansubjectsandareligiouslyChristianstructureobviouslyinfluencedby
Classicalarchitectureaswellassubjects,bothcurrentandClassical,placedtogether
bridgesthegapintimebetweenthetwotimeperiods.Thelackofanyhintastothe
exactlocationwherethisscenemighttakeplaceisduetothedeliberatelackofany
outsidelandscape,withonlyskyandcloudsshowingwearethusprovidedaneutral
settingfortheviewertoimaginethismeetingofcultures.Overall,adetailed
observationofTheSchoolofAthensallowsviewerstoseeacombinationoftwo
typesofworlds,religions,andthinkersthewaythinkersoftheRenaissancestrived
tobringvaluedClassicalidealstosocietyhundredsofyearslater.
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RaphaelselfportraitintheSchoolofAthens
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