The School of Athens or Scuola di Atene measuring 200 inches by 300 inches (1509-10) is one of a series of four frescoes painted by the Italian Renaissance artist Raphael, as a part of his commission to decorate the rooms now called as the Stanze di Raffaello, in the Apostolic Palace in the Vatican. The frescoes, signifying different branches of knowledge, are done on the walls of the Stanza and include imagery illustrating philosophy, poetry, law and theology.

This one is dedicated to philosophy and 21 Greek philosophers are engaged in conversations, work or games and images of statues are also included in it including Apollo, the Greek god of light, archery and music and the other one is Athena, the Greek goddess of wisdom who is shown in her Roman form as Minerva. The central figures in the fresco are Plato and Aristotle. — M.I.

Published in Dawn, Sunday Magazine, October 26th, 2014