How Did Aristotle's Influence In The School Of Athens

School of Athens is one of the most playful, fruitful artwork, created by one of the greatest artists in Renaissance period, Raphael. More so, School of Athens reflects an insightful stylization and artistic composition. Not only is this fresco tightly related to historical and political context during Renaissance time, but also presents the original and natural aspects of human kind and society. Belonging to the series called the Four Branches of Human Knowledge, School of Athens interpret humans’ interest in philosophy. Although Raphael depicts Plato and Aristotle with two contrast philosophical ideas, these two ideas complement one another, and together they form an entire and balanced philosophy — composition.

Decorating the walls of

Stanza della Segnatura was the first commission Raphael had had when he arrived at Rome. More so, Pope Julius II was the one who commissioned these works. In November 1507, Pope Julius II moved his quarters in the Vatican Palace from the Borgia Apartment to the floor above it, whose space received more sunlight and air. By the time Raphael had his commission, many other artists had been working on this project before him. (Garrigues, 408). Nonetheless, it did not stop Raphael to become one of the greatest Renaissance artists after his works were completed. Hall stresses in his introduction of the book Raphael’s School of Athens:
“In Raphael’s Vatican paintings we sense that the intellectual climate of the papacy of Julius II (1503-1513) […] Comprehensiveness of Scheme, its internal logic, and its richness have awed visitors since the sixteenth century.” (Hall, 3)
Essentially, Stanza della Segnatura was designed to be Pope Julius II’s personal library.

Nowadays, Stanza della Segnatura is the suite of reception rooms and the public art area in Vatican Palace. The Four Branches of Human Knowledge on Stanza della Segnatura’s walls are Philosophy, known as School of Athens; Theology, called The Disputa; Poetry in the painting The Parnassus; and Jurisprudence indicated in The Cardinal Virtues. School of Athens, painted between 1509 and 1511, is on the East wall of Stanza della

Segnatura.
Scholars believe that Plato and Aristotle are the most important presence in School of Athens because of Raphael’s use of linear perspective in which the vanishing point is in between Plato and Aristotle.

From the audience’s view, Plato is on the left and Aristotle is on the right of the center. Scholars are certain that it is Plato because he is holding one of his own books, Timaeus, and Aristotle is holding his book, Ethics. These two figures are displayed in the central of the painting, which helps keep the composition stay in balance. However, the depiction of Plato and Aristotle in the center means more than just the composition.

Plato and Aristotle also represent two contrast ideas of philosophy. Plato believed that philosophy is beyond the physical world. Plato’s outfit also represents his subject matter: the purple rope and the red garment, symbolizing air and fire, two essential elements that are basically untouchable. Plato was convinced by the theory of Ideas, that Ideas alone have any existence (Garrigues, 415). In his section of the book “Raphael’s School of Athens,” The Gymnasium of Athens, Bellori also elaborates what Garrigues

indicates:
“Plato has under his left arm the book titled Timaeus, and the sign of his great doctrine is the gesture of his raised right hand, pointing to Heaven and the supreme cause, since this philosopher in the Timaeus contemplates the nature of the universe and natural things mysteriously as effects and images of things divine.” (Bellori, 53).
Plato’s philosophical subject matter leans more toward a divine source, God, rather than physical, practical things on earth. This idea of Plato is as well included in his other book, Five Dialogues. Phaedo, the last dialogue, not only tells the story when Socrates was exiled and waiting to be executed, but also strengthens Socrates’ argument, as well as Plato’s himself, that the mind is the intellect, the true source of knowledge and righteousness, whereas the earthly body is a mere vase that contains the mind, which has no consciousness nor intelligence. Aristotle also has his hand rest on his thigh, holding his book, Ethics. However, Aristotle’s hand is stretched out toward the audience instead. Bellori addressed: “This gesture is properly suitable to Ethics, which claims the emotions and moderates human souls with the proportion of virtue.” (Bellori, 54). Aristotle is also wearing brown rope and blue garment, signifying earth and water, things that are, visible, touchable, and weighable. Thus, the discussion between Plato and Aristotle is the discussion of philosophy as natural versus moral, non-physical versus physical, and theoretical versus practical (Bellori, 54).