Raphael's School of Athens: Analysis

       Raphael was an Italian Renaissance artists that painted his famous School of Athens in 1510. This piece of work is the epitome of a great painting for composition, among other techniques. He shows depth in the picture by creating a realistic use of foreground, middle ground, and background. There are various diagonals used that all lead the viewer’s eyes towards the center of the painting. Color does play a role in the painting through the assigned colors of the people’s clothing. According to the colored fabrics, one can sense power to each individual. For example, Plato, who is placed as the center of attention, is draped in red, a color often used for power and influence for painters. 

The composition is easy on the eyes of the viewer because it guides you by using diagonals and different patterns and structures. The eye moves from the outer corners of the photograph, easily towards the center. There is a clear use of symmetry cutting down the middle of the painting. Raphael presents good composition again by showing the equal space between the two central figures, Plato and Aristotle, which gives the painting a powerful balance. There are different elements used, such as line, texture and repetition that help strengthen the Raphael’s painting. He uses texture and repetition together while designing the floor and ceiling patterns. The lines all work together to bring the viewer to one focal point in the center. 

Raphael’s perspective creates an excellent three dimensionality in the forms. While viewing this painting, the viewer feels as if he/she is passing by a real window and looking in. Some objects, such as the outer architectural structure, appears close and other objects, people, appear more distant. Unlike two-dimensional pictures, Raphael reaches beyond artists of his time by making the viewer feel like they are truly in the painting. Raphael uses single point, or linear perspective, for School of Athens. The space of the painting does appear logical because Raphael did an excellent job of using the vanishing point along the imaginary horizon line to create a sense of real space. 

Throughout history people have been fascinated with the people in Raphael’s School of Athens. Who are they?  and What do they symbolize? are questions that have come across our minds. There is still controversy over the true identification of all the figures, but all are though to be great Greek philosophers or scientists. Those that have been positively identified using accurate historical evidence are: Plato, Aristotle, Socrates, Pythagorus, Euclid, Alcibiades, Diogenes, Ptolemy, Zoroaster and Raphael. Raphael shows a great knowledge of anatomy is his depiction of his figures. The people are different in motion, poses, and facial expressions. There are several groups that seem to be interacting in the painting, creating a natural looking environment. 

 Overall, Raphael used warm colors for his painting. The colors could be looked at symbolically, such as red demonstrating wisdom and power or influence. The colors in general are light, nothing too bright or outlandish, in order to create a serious tone for the scene. The lighting in the painting is coming from many different windows and giving off a message of intellectual thoughts by the brightness in the room. The warm light is focused more on the people in the back, and shadow is slightly casted upon the figures towards the front. Raphael used chiaroscuro to show underlying body structure in each of the figures and to create depth and shape.