In the early 1500’s Raphael was chosen by Julius II to paint a number of frescos in the Stanza Della Segnatura, Vatican, Rome. Among these was the School of Athens which I have selected to discuss in this paper.
Raphael, who had studied art since the age of seven under the teacher Perugino in Umbria, arrived in Florence at the age of twenty-two and achieved immediate success. Raphael was influenced by Leonardo Da Vinci, and Michelangelo who were the artists who had established the High Renaissance style in Florence.
The great masters of the High Renaissance style lived in an era when the Roman Catholic church had seized political power. The Popes believed they were the heirs of the Caesars, and they partly exploited their own political ends to realize their fantastic expectations of renewing the old glory of the Roman Empire. The Romans believed that Rome was the centre of western civilization and those with power and influence looked back to the Classics as inspiration for their renewed interest in intellectual thought.
From the time of Sixtus IV (1471-84) Rome became a centre for artistic production. But it was not until the rule of Julius II (1503-13), when Bramante, Michelangelo and Leonardo finally settled in Rome that the period of artistic activity flourished and produced the style of the High Renaissance.
The fact that the great artists of that time worked almost exclusively in the service of the Church impacted significantly on the themes and the subject matter of High Renaissance Art. The religious art produced at that time did not emphasize spiritual supramundane values of previous eras, instead solemnity, majesty, might and glory were visually portrayed. In the words of Hauser, the inwardness and other-worldliness of Christian feeling yielded to aloof coldness and the expression of physical as well as intellectual superiority. He also suggests that the Popes of that time had as their main goal to immortalize themselves thinking more of their own glory than the glory of God.
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It was in the Stanza della Segnatura which housed the Pope’s library and where the Pope dispensed canon and civil law, that Raphael set about to create a series of frescoes on the walls and ceiling which expressed the four domains of learning: theology philosophy, law and the arts. Of these frescos the School of Athens, representing philosophy, (painted on the wall facing the Disputa), has long been acknowledged as a masterpiece and the perfect embodiment of the classical spirit of the High Renaissance.
The School of Athens represents the ancient philosophers and learned men of antiquity engaged in deep and profound argument and gaining of wisdom. The figures form a semicircle within a lofty structure. Against the distant sky Plato holding the Timaeus points towards heaven as the source of the ideas from which all earthly forms originate. While Aristotle holding Ethics gestures towards the earth as the object of all observation. In the upper left Socrates may be seen discussing philosophical principles, at the lower left Pythagoras delineates his proportional system on a slate before his pupils. Towards the right Euclid uses another slate to demonstrate a geometric theorem.
All these figures are placed within a structure of solemn grandiose proportions with motifs from classic Roman architecture of the late Imperial period. It is believed that the setting was inspired by Raphael’s knowledge of Bramante’s plans for the new Saint Peters.
The total conception of the School of Athens suggests the spirit of Leonardo’s Last Supper. This is reflected in the way Raphael depicts each philosopher revealing their contribution to the understanding of humanity. As in the Last Supper Raphael gives each individual figure a special quality, all are masterpieces in themselves. At the same time he successfully links them together in a coherent group, each interrelating with the other. This results in the characteristic harmonious and rhythmic composition which is also apparent in Leonardo’s Last Supper.
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The "rebirth" of art in Italy, otherwise known as the Renaissance, was connected with the rediscovery of ancient philosophy, literature, and science and the development of methods in these fields using keen observation. Greater awareness of classical knowledge created a new way to learn by direct study of the natural world. Because of this, religious themes became increasingly important to ...
However it is the sense of space created by the lofty dome, the barrel vault and the grandeur and vastness of the architectural setting which is Raphael’s innovation of such fundamental importance. This innovation had a profound impact on the course of painting far beyond the 16th century.
Raphael’s School of Athens is a perfect example of High Renaissance art. The composition and style of the work embodies all the principles that make up Renaissance paintings.
In order to discuss the characteristics of the High Renaissance style I have chosen to follow the principles developed by Wolfflin which offer an analysis based purely on formal concepts. The first of these is the concept of linear as opposed to a painterly technique, found in the Baroque style. All the figures, the arches, the columns, the steps and the decorative sculptural work are clearly outlined. The boundaries of each figure is evenly illuminated and each stands out boldly like a piece of sculpture.
The second concept is the “planar” aspect. The elements of the painting are arranged on a series of planes parallel to the picture plane. The first planes are the series of four steps on which the groups of figures stand. This technique is again repeated in the architecture of the series of arches receding into the distance.
The third concept identified by Wolfflin is the closed form. The figures are balanced within the frame of the picture which is created by the arch in the foreground. The composition is based on vertical and horizontal planes. Examples of the verticals include the upright figures and the columns, which are emphasized by the two large classical statutes at either side of the colonnade. The steps and the line of the heads of the figures who stand at the top of the stairs are examples of the horizontals used by Raphael in this fresco. The picture is entirely self-contained. The closed form conveys an impression of stability and balance and there is a tendency towards symmetrical arrangement.
The fourth concept is that of multiplicity. By this Wolfflin means that Renaissance painting is made up of distinct parts each one ‘sculpturally rounded’ in its own right. The colors are distinct, the even defused light in the picture helps to isolate elements so that multiplicity of independent units can be balanced against one another.
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The figures are arranged on the steps in small groups . The four steps create a series of planes parallel to the picture plane and the magnificent architecture creates a frame for the knowledgeable scholars to stand within. All the figures are balanced within this frame and the final receding arch, frames the two central figures Plato and Aristotle. Raphael brings life to all the people represented in the fresco, they all have their own individual expression and not a single gesture is repeated.
At the time that the frescos were completed the people who viewed Raphael’s work were overwhelmed by the realism, life and movement captured in the work. Many thought that the work was miraculous and Raphael was praised as a genius.
The freshness of the colors, the vibrancy of the expressions of each of the great thinkers seem to capture the moment in time when their contribution to knowledge changed the way people thought about the world.
Even today the work is deeply respected and has created popular norms of what art should be and how it should look. Generations of art lovers have responded to this work and no doubt in the future it will remain a valuable reference point for artists in diverse cultures around the world. Raphael has successfully created a miraculous illusion of vast space using single point perspective. The individualism and vitality of each figure captures their unique character and personality and makes this work a virtuoso triumph by a young master. To enter the Stanza della Segnatura must be an awesome experience.
