Raphael Research Paper

Raphael: A Religious Humanist The Renaissance was a booming age of art, new thinking and finding of older, better ways of thinking leading to one of the largest scavenger hunts in history (Bauer). The financial empires of Europe were expanding while sciences and art were becoming more prevalent. The frenzied movement started with Gerard of Cremona, finding the astronomy texts of Euclid, Galen and Ptolemy(Bauer) revealing that the intellectuals of ancient Greece and Rome possessed extensive knowledge lost during the Dark Ages. The knowledge of the Greeks and the Romans was more extensive than the knowledge of the world at the time (Corrick) so everybody from artists to scholars were intrigued by what was said by the brilliant minds of the
antiquity. Artists were supported by patrons so that they had the option to travel and focus on their art. The very well supported artists did not need the mundane jobs of farmers and artisans (Bauer) so they took this opportunity to travel to Greece and Rome, and study the ancient texts. The caused the art to take a less Religious turn than the popular styles of the Middle Ages. The church was at odds with many of the movements of the Renaissance. It mostly went against the Humanists, which was the name for the fanatics of the antiquity (Corrick). Raphael Sanzio, the Prince of Painters, (Talvacchia) was neither a Humanist nor a religious extremist. He was in the middle, studying the Greek works and Philosophies, and depicting the scenes of the bible, under the commision of Pope II. Raphael’s unnamed, unusual technique was the perfect balance of classicism and naturalism (Talvacchia). His paintings told their stories convincingly through his use of color and his lively and polished look His paintings were realistic interpretations of the human body, much like the style of Ancient Greek sculptures (Talvacchia). Raphael’s works the School of Athens and the disputation of the Holy Sacrament brings together the humanists and the church.
The style of the ancient Greek and Roman sculptures was realistic interpretations of the human body. They had extensive knowledge of the human body and showed it through their art. Greek artists would reach a peak of artistic excellence which captured the human form in a way never before seen and which was much copied (Cartwright), even by Raphael. The Greeks themselves took influence from the Egyptian art and the art slowly evolved from the simplistic Egyptian style to defined, muscular cloth covered bodies. The ancients mostly depicted the Gods and important figures of the times such as Government officials (Cartwright). The structuring of the bodies inspired many Renaissance artists including Raphael. The School of Athens is the most well known painting of Raphael.(A-2) It is a collection of the brightest and most influential men from the antiquated era of the Greeks and Romans. The men are in a hall of Roman architecture with the statues of Artemis and Apollo. Artemis is on the right holding a spear and Apollo is on the left holding a lyre. Raphael brought some of the most brilliant minds of his time to parallel as well. In the red in the center is the Greek philosopher Plato. Plato was a philosophical writer who has yet to be surpassed. He wrote about government, laws and humanity. In the painting he hold the a copy of his dialogue Timaeus (Khan). He is pointing upward because in his philosophy, changing the world we see around us is just a shadow of a higher reality that includes ideas like goodness and beauty. This parallel world reality to him was the greater reality and the seat of all good in life.(Khan) Raphael paralleled his modern time with the Greeks, by portraying Plato in the image of Leonardo Da Vinci. This was a considerable bow to the genius of his time. Another bow made by Raphael was toward Michelangelo, whose image was used to paint Plato’s student, Aristotle. Aristotle stand at the right hand side of Plato, and is dressed in blue. His hand is down and out because to him the only reality there is, is that which is tangible (Khan). He holds a copy of his book Nicomachean Ethics which is the book he wrote about the role of habit in conduct. His book states that virtues are habits and a good life is one of mindless routine (Sachs). Aristotle looks to Plato as his teacher and he listens avidly to the lesson being taught to him. There are many great Greeks represented in the painting. In the left hand corner of the painting is Euclid, father of Geometry leaning down, drawing with a compass. He was painted in the image of Bramante, the architect who was responsible for bringing Raphael to Rome (Euro). Behind him is Ptolemy, the man who tried to mathematically explain to movements of the planets, and he is holding a globe (Euro). Zoroaster, a famous Persian prophet who developed a religion, is beside Ptolemy holding a celestial globe.(Euro) Alexander the Great is on the far right, wearing armour (Talvacchia). Socrates is beside Alexander wearing Green. He is animatedly speaking to his audience of fellow philosophers. His image is modeled after the bust statue of Socrates (Euro). Raphael himself is beside Zoroaster and is the only image, which looks straight at the viewer. He is behind the man in white. Raphael pulled together a great number of brilliant minds that were inspired by the ancient Greeks and his own time to bring together his greatest work, which was part of his effort to bring the church and the humanists closer together.
Pope Julius the Second was very interested in art and wanted his most important churches to be painted by the most talented artists of his time, the Prince of Painters. He was the one who hired Michelangelo to paint the Sistine Chapel, and he hired Raphael to paint his Private quarters, which is where Raphael’s greatest masterpiece was born. The School of Athens is a fresco, which is a wall mural.(Talvacchia) One of the walls in the Pope’s private rooms was a painting that would have been greatly appreciated by the humanists. Raphael had brought a painting of the greatest scientists to life inside the walls of the Catholic Church.(Talvacchia) On the wall beside the School of Athens is the Disputation of the Holy Sacrament (A-2), which is one of Raphael’s most religious works.
It is a depiction of the earthly church, or Militant Church and Church Triumph of the Heavens. (Kren) At the top, in the center of the painting, is God. The semicircle surrounding him is the archangels. Directly below him is the son of God, Jesus Christ, with the Virgin Mary bowed on his right and St. John the Baptist on his left (Kren). The Virgin Mary was the mother of christ, while John the Baptist was the one who baptized Christ (Catholic Online). Other saints surround the trio, in individualistic, vibrant colors. At the very bottom of the picture are the saints, popes, bishops, priests, and the mass of the faithful.(Kren) Much like in the School of Athens, there are figures from history and Raphael’s present. On the right, Bramante leans on the handrail. He was an Italian architect, who was thought of as having recaptured the beauty of ancient architecture, and is now known for the development of the style of the architecture of the High Renaissance (Visual). He is speaking to a figure that is believed to be Francesco Maria Della Rovere, ruler of Urbino. Directly behind him is Pope Julius II, wearing a laurel Wreath of glory. He is the representation of Gregory the Great, who had been a Catholic Pope from the years 590 to 604 when he died. The Disputation of the Holy Sacrament is a mainly Religious Depiction, however the majority of the figures wear tunics and togas which was the clothing of the ancient
Romans. He did not succeed very well because six years after he finished the frescoes, Martin Luther posted the ninety five thesis and the reformation and separation from the church began. However, he can be praised for doing something so audacious of the time by bringing the two groups, which were at ends together through what he did best, Painting. Although these paintings seem to be mostly opposite, they do share the universal theme of the origin of all, which cannot be found by only faith or philosophy and science. In order to understand everything, you have to take all ideas into account for a closer step to full comprehension.