About the Masterpiece
"The School of Athens" is a fresco by the Italian Renaissance artist Raphael. It was painted between 1509 and 1511 as part of Raphael's commission to decorate the rooms in the Apostolic Palace in the Vatican. This iconic work is located in the Stanza della Segnatura and is widely considered to be Raphael's masterpiece and a quintessential example of the High Renaissance.
The fresco depicts a gathering of the greatest philosophers, mathematicians, and scientists from classical antiquity, all arranged in a magnificent architectural setting. At the center, Plato and Aristotle engage in a philosophical debate, with Plato pointing upwards to the realm of ideas and Aristotle gesturing downwards to the material world. The painting is renowned for its masterful composition, harmonious use of perspective, and the lifelike depiction of its numerous figures, each representing a different aspect of human knowledge and thought.
Artwork Details
- Artist: Raphael
- Title: The School of Athens
- Medium: Fresco
- Period: High Renaissance
- Location: Stanza della Segnatura, Apostolic Palace, Vatican City
- Created: 1509–1511
- Dimensions: Approximately 7.7 meters (25 ft) wide