Raphael (1510 to 11). School of Athens [fresco]. Stanza della Segnatura, Vatican.

Raphael has created a seminal work of near-optical naturalism in this piece, truly as if one were looking into the past through the framing roman arch. He has created a vision of mature classic Athens, bursting with civic activity, the apex of what self-determined, democratically-minded individuals are capable of shining through in the colossal, marble-formatted architecture that surrounds them. This painting is a beautiful example of the Renaissance-era’s affinity for classical antiquity.

Shape is primary over the generous use of value and hue because of the conflict through equivalence Raphael creates between their mechanical and organic formatting. Both shape types labor equally and heavily. Artificial shapes create the masterful illusion of linear perspective-based depth; figurative shapes infuse the canvas with activity and life. They merge to build a defined pattern of values that intermingles with the coffer and color patterns without damaging them. Colors are quite varied, and to establish their order depth-wise, Raphael varies their values much more than their purities.

Perpendicular, rigid edges contrasted against roman curves encompass a massive volume with absolute stability. The scale of this works architecture diminishes the activity and forms of the bustling crowd within. The artificial shapes, colorless, orderly and repeated by the statue-like elements that populate the frame, are brought into pleasing conflict with the numerous figures, colorful and collectively confusing any overall sense of direction. This painting gracefully combines differences in a way that is illusionistically believable and pleasing.

The way Raphael highlights his focal point is somewhat obvious, although he does this without enlarging the figures unnecessarily. The elder Plato and younger Aristotle are placed dead-center on the canvas, highlighted by a clear pane of skylight in a near halo-like manner with all lines of perspective converging between their forms. Energy is directed into the canvas by the space-spanning structures and activities of the crowd.

This masterpiece defines the Renaissance style of expression by merging multiple ideas, formal choices and advancements in expression in a way that is orderly and believable. The two central figures represent our need to attempt the impossible from a position of safety based on reason. The canvas is populated with a multitude of colors and values that are as varied as the professions that are represented in the crowd. Finally, this work illustrates as well as any the refinement of perspective to provide pictorial depth and order, supported by the sensitive adjustment in scale as the figures approach the picture plane.