J Harrison Raphael School of Athens Final

Raphael’sCombiningthePaganPastwiththeChristianPresentinTheSchoolofAthens

ByJenifferHarrison–Spring2010

Raphael’sSchoolofAthens(1510‐1511),afrescolocatedintheStanzadella

SegnaturawithintheVaticanontheeastwall,depictsagatheringofallegorical

figuresofancientphilosophersandotherintellectualsandinnovatorswithinan

architecturallyGreco‐RomanClassicalstructure.

Jeniffer Harrison Computer Writing – Spring 2010

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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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