Discuss Raphael’s frescos in the Stanza della Segnatura in terms of the major areas of humanist learning; in particular, the elements of The School of Athens that demonstrate balance, clarity, and a respect for ancient Rome.

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

On each of the four walls of the Stanza della Segnatura, Raphael painted one of the four major areas of humanist learning: Law and Justice, to be represented by the Cardinal Virtues; the Arts, to be represented by Mount Parnassus; Theology, to be represented by the Disputà, or Dispute over the Sacrament; and Philosophy, to be represented by The School of Athens (Revel Assets: Closer Look). In The School of Athens, Classical references abound in the architectural details behind the central figures, the arches in particular. The presence of the gods Apollo and Minerva, painted as though they were Classical statues, also attest to influences from the past. The individual figures identified—Pythagoras, Ptolemy, and Euclid—demonstrate Renaissance interests in mathematics and astronomy, while the figures of Heraclitus, Diogenes, and Zoroaster show an understanding and affinity for the Pre-Socratic philosophers.