How the School of Athens Represents Renaissance
Donna Gardner
Dr. Kathleen
Hum5
4/1/14
How School of Athens represents Renaissance
The high renaissance is thought of to be the climax of art and emergence of artistic geniuses. The technicality of art dramatically evolves since the middle ages as well as heroic composition and artistic imagination. As Humanism and individualism arise in the renaissance artist take on a different perspective and some of the greatest thinkers and philosophers will emerge. Raphael’s ‘School of Athens’ is the ultimate embodiment of the renaissance because it captures the most eloquent pictorial articulation. Everything from Raphael’s architecture style to his creative use of figures scream renaissance.
Medieval Roman art was mostly religious and focused on Christian concepts and the statues were shallow and flat, the art wasn’t very realistic because that was considered secular. After artist like davinci came along and contradicted those beliefs about art it opened the door for many renaissance artist to explore beyond the boundaries of religion. In particular Raphael’s painting ‘School of Athens” is distinctively renaissance because of its very realistic figures and lack of religion. In the painting there is no reference to Christianity or Catholicism, instead there’s pictures of Athena and Apollo (Greek Gods) which symbolizes the slow shift in roman religious culture. Raphael explicitly focuses on the importance of the human mind and the other divine powers aside from Jesus. Raphael’s linear perspective, series of illusionistic arches and complex composition show he was a renaissance artist because the geometric skill the painting required. Early 1500s the idea that geometry was necessary for an artist to be considered an artist was becoming popular.
In Raphael’s painting ‘School of Athens’ he reveals the new idea that painters should know geometry and the art of reason and intellect. Raphael subtly places a self-portrait in a Euclidean group .He was symbolizing that art was
Dr. Kathleen
Hum5
4/1/14
How School of Athens represents Renaissance
The high renaissance is thought of to be the climax of art and emergence of artistic geniuses. The technicality of art dramatically evolves since the middle ages as well as heroic composition and artistic imagination. As Humanism and individualism arise in the renaissance artist take on a different perspective and some of the greatest thinkers and philosophers will emerge. Raphael’s ‘School of Athens’ is the ultimate embodiment of the renaissance because it captures the most eloquent pictorial articulation. Everything from Raphael’s architecture style to his creative use of figures scream renaissance.
Medieval Roman art was mostly religious and focused on Christian concepts and the statues were shallow and flat, the art wasn’t very realistic because that was considered secular. After artist like davinci came along and contradicted those beliefs about art it opened the door for many renaissance artist to explore beyond the boundaries of religion. In particular Raphael’s painting ‘School of Athens” is distinctively renaissance because of its very realistic figures and lack of religion. In the painting there is no reference to Christianity or Catholicism, instead there’s pictures of Athena and Apollo (Greek Gods) which symbolizes the slow shift in roman religious culture. Raphael explicitly focuses on the importance of the human mind and the other divine powers aside from Jesus. Raphael’s linear perspective, series of illusionistic arches and complex composition show he was a renaissance artist because the geometric skill the painting required. Early 1500s the idea that geometry was necessary for an artist to be considered an artist was becoming popular.
In Raphael’s painting ‘School of Athens’ he reveals the new idea that painters should know geometry and the art of reason and intellect. Raphael subtly places a self-portrait in a Euclidean group .He was symbolizing that art was