One of Raphael’s greatest works is The School of Athens, one of four main frescoes
on the walls of the Stanza della Segnatura in the Vatican, painted in 1509. In
addition to the beauty and perfection of Raphael’s painting, there is more to
it than meets the eye. The School is
a depiction of the school of philosophy.
Though not labeled, many of the
Greek philosophers are to be found hidden in the throng of people, just some of
whom are: Socrates, Ptolemy, Euclid, Boethius, Democritus, Xenophon,
Parmenides, and many more. The central figures are the figures of Plato and
Aristotle, Plato on the left with Aristotle on his right. Plato and Aristotle
take the center stage through their greatness. Plato, because he is looking for
the universal good, beautiful, and true that seems to be in everything. Aristotle,
because he is looking for the true nature
of all things, regardless of the science they fall under.
The greatness of this school is
easily seen. The truth found through philosophy is found by man’s reason alone
through a certain method, that art by which the first causes of a science are
sought. Here are depicted the greatest minds of the ancient world, who even
though they fall short of seeing that this sole cause was God came so close to
this conclusion by reason alone.
This commentary is more pertinent to the school year starting when all Thomas Aquinas students study these great minds.
