Analysis of the School of Athens and Humanist Themes During the Renaissance

 The School of Athens by Raphael Sanzio da Urbino


School of Athens is a large scale fresco created by the well known Italian Renaissance artist Raphael Sanzio da Urbino. It was created some time around 1510 as a commission work to decorate a room in the Vatican (Pulimood 2024). The piece covers a large wall and stands slightly over 16 feet tall and just over 25 feet wide (over 4 meters tall and just under 8 meters wide). With the staggering size of this piece, it demands that the viewer looks up at the fresco, causing the strong sense of depth and point perspective present in the piece to be further enhanced. Color plays a large role in this piece, with the figures scattered across the hall all dressed in bright colors and a rather monotone background. The use of these bright colors draws the eye to the contrast with the people being the primary focus. Despite this the monotone background still holds immense detail with more figures and geometric patterns. The linear perspective nature of the fresco is very apparent, with very precise and exact architecture creating a sense of depth. In addition to this the replication of atmospheric diffusion is present with the shades becoming slightly lighter the further back in space the figures or structures are represented to be furthering the depth. The use of the lines in School of Athens leads the viewer to the focus on two central figures identified as Plato and Aristotle from left to right respectively (Khan Academy). 

With these two very well known philosophers with opposite ideals and perspectives it sets the mood of this fresco, such as an exchange of knowledge. The casual nature and implied discussion through hand gestures creates a welcoming scholarly setting with many large figures present that would never have had the chance to meet each other due to the distance in time between all their lives. The depiction of artwork lining the walls and grandiose architecture creates a sense of prosperity and flourishing society, as if to say with such great minds in cohesion, the world would be more idealistic. 

The School of Athens is considered by some to be "one of the most significant artworks of the Renaissance" due to its nature in regards to humanism largely (Pulimood 2024). Humanism is one of the most important schools of thought that arose during the Italian Renaissance and it represents a change in the regards to art, religion, and philosophy. At its core it is best described as a change of interest to more human affairs and values. With this arose more individualistic thought and representation in regards to religion. The School of Athens so well conveys this concept and school of thought in depicting famous scholars with drastically different views and philosophies sharing their ideas openly. It introduces the idea of discussion without disagreement and suggests at the possibility of coexistence of different schools of thought and individual expression. 

Works Cited


Pulimood, Steven. "School of Athens". Encyclopedia Britannica, 17 September 2024,           https://www.britannica.com/topic/School-of-Athens. Accessed 1 October 2024.

Comments

  1. Demario MesaOctober 2, 2024 at 4:01 PM

    Hey Cole, this was super interesting to read! There was plenty of information I found appealing starting with how captivating this portrait is and how it embodies humanism in the renaissance time. One other thing that stood out was the use of color in this fresco. The bright hues tied with the monotone background really draws your eyes to the figures. The whole connection with humanism is truly beautiful and how famous philosophers like Plato and Aristotle are involved. One thing I might add is how this masterpiece can be visual representation of philosophical and other elements of richness in the renaissance time. Great post, thanks for sharing!

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  2. LexOctober 3, 2024 at 8:20 PM

    Hello Cole,
    This artwork was my favorite. I found it appealing because it depicts numerous famous philosophers who have shaped our lives. It's like a visual representation of a library filled with knowledge. Upon analyzing the artwork, I discovered that Plato is depicted wearing red and purple, symbolizing ether and fire, which do not have weight. In contrast, Aristotle is shown wearing blue and brown, representing earth and water, which do have weight. I found this contrast to be pretty amazing. Great post!

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  3. Liam's Land of LandscapesOctober 28, 2024 at 11:17 AM

    Hi, Cole. This was honestly one of my favorite pieces of this time, and I really enjoyed your analysis of it. One thing I like most about it is how bright and pastel it is. I can imagine how it would light up the darkest of places. You pointed out the monotone background, which I do notice, but for some reason it really works for this. It's almost as if there is a haze over it, as if incense has been spread across the room and it is dissipating. Great post!

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