The School of Athens
The fresco painting “The School of Athens” painted by Raphael mirrors renaissance society. It does so by showing most of the famous scientific or philosopher people from Ancient Greece. The fact that there seem to be two distinct mindsets (the philosophers and the scientists) in the painting shows that at the time of the Renaissance, newer ideas were being introduced. The philosophers believed what the church told them, for example ideas such as that the earth was the center of the solar system. However, some scientists believed the opposite, that the sun was the center of the solar system. The scientists went out into the outside world to get their knowledge. This showed that more people were looking outside of the church for answers to their questions. Another part of the painting that reflects the Renaissance is the fact that most of the were from Ancient Greece. During the Renaissance, society started looking into the past at ancient civilizations to get new ideas and to know how the ancients would have tackled the problem. This shows that they were being more logical, and this was a key characteristic of the Renaissance.
If I could be anyone in “The School of Athens” I would be Aristotle, the student philosopher. Aristotle was a Greek philosopher that had a down to earth, hands on personality and beliefs. Aristotle was a person who liked to think of the world in a practical way, so he was not taking the view of the Catholic Church. He can be called as a humanist, similar to me, for I am an atheist. I take a scientific belief on the earth and everything that happens on it, and why we are here, just like Aristotle. I have never gone to church, or believed in religion, and I wish to stay this way. I am a very logical and scientific person.
Images taken from:
http://blogs.glnd.k12.va.us/teachers/nlewis/files/2009/09/school_of_athens2.jpg
http://www.newbanner.com/AboutPic/athena/raphael/nbi_aris2.html
