School of Athens by Raphael

Exhibited in Vatican Palace, Rome, Italy, 1509-1511
credit here

Opinion: The School of Athens appealed to me because of it’s depth. I like how the viewer seems to be looking in on this meeting of the minds. It’s subject matter seems to have an almost cartoon basis. I could imagine a similar picture of a congregation of United States presidents appearing in a newspaper. Without, of course, the artistic talent of Raphael.  

Theory: The School of Athens was created by Raphael in 1508 for the Papal apartments. It depicts a congregation of classical thinkers and is typical of the Renaissance in terms of its use of perspective, reference to the classics, and subject matter. The piece uses linear perspective, an innovation of the Renaissance which appealed to many artists because of its ability to rationally portray the world. The preeminence of classics is also obvious- classic architecture, including barrel vaults and columns, as well as mythological statues, contribute to the overall intellectual mood of the piece. The central figures are Plato and Aristotle. Thinkers that are concerned with matters beyond this world stand on Plato’s side while those concerned with matters of this world stand on Aristotle’s side. This sort of artistic gathering demonstrates the influence of the classics on Renaissance society, specifically art.