School of Athens: Rafael
A piece of artwork can often be an effective method of illustrating society in the time of its creation. “The School of Athens” by Rafael reflects the society of the Renaissance as well through the demonstration of Renaissance changes, values, and elements of life. The changes made to ancient ideas were typical of Renaissance attitude towards development. “The School of Athens” takes place in a building with heavy influence from the Roman style of architecture. This demonstrates the usage of already formed ideas as a foundation for more developed ideas in the Renaissance. These ideas transformed the values of Europe. Historical figures grace the entire surface of the painting, showing the value of radical thinkers in the Renaissance, both from the ancient times, like Aristotle, and the Renaissance, like Rafael himself. Elements of Renaissance life are present in the theme of development and higher thinking from discussions and debates in “The School of Athens”. Daily life in the Renaissance was effected by this theme of development, so daily life for scholars and artists in the Renaissance is hinted at as well. “The School of Athens” is a prime example of artwork that can mirror the society in which its creator lived.
School of Athens (Closeup Hypatia of Alexandria): Rafael
The School of Athens is a busy painting. There are two sides of a painting, divided into Plato’s doctrine of the discovery of beyond our little worlds, and Aristotle’s doctrine of discovering more about these little worlds. I am on Plato’s side, because I feel that if I stay in my own little sphere for too long, trying to unravel it, I will never be able to rewind the string. On this side advocating the beyond, a philosopher named Hypatia stands, staring with clever eyes at the world around her, thinking past it. I am Hypatia in "The School of Athens" because we both are willing to let some things go for independence and higher learning. Hypatia lived near the end of the 4th century in Alexandria. Her father, who was also a philosopher, allowed her to receive an education, and she traveled to Italy and Greece to study there. When she returned, she became a teacher of philosophy, arithmetic, and astronomy to males at the Neoplatonist School of Alexandria. She collaborated with her father or endeavored on her own to write commentaries about historical ideas. She even edited the works of past mathematicians. She also interacted with people different from her, male pupils, for the reward of higher learning. I am also willing to break new ground, even if it means standing with many people different from me, especially if it is at the reward of higher learning. Indeed Hypatia's love of higher learning caused her to pay with her life for her individuality in a time of conservatism. Because she was both an educated woman and a pagan, the budding Catholic Church looked down upon her. Cyril, the Archbishop of Alexandria, was against a woman being an advisor to powerful men in Alexandria because it slackened his own influence on them. He urged his followers to end her reign over Alexandria’s scholars and leaders. In the year 415 CE, her carriage was intercepted by a mob of Christians, who proceeded to murder her. She died for her beliefs, a martyr of higher learning and women’s rights. I am Hypatia in “The School of Athens” by Rafael because I too stand a stranger in a sea of individuals, willing to stand alone, untouched by the flames of societal roles. Whether or not I am willing to die for this identity of my own I am unsure. But one thing is certain: Great things can come to those who sacrifice their comfort and images to be different, but truly legendary things are left by those who die for those differences.
