The School of Athens

The School of Athens, Scuola di Atene, is one of the most famous frescoes painted by Italian artist Raffaello Sazio da Urbino ( 1483 – 1520 ), better known as Raphael ( also known as Rafaello Santi ) between 1509 – 1510 at the Stanze di Rafaello, in the Apostolic Palace in the Vatican City.

The School of Athens is a depiction of philosophy.  The scene takes place in classical times.  

The identities of some of the philosophers in the fresco, such as Plato and Aristotle, are certain.  Beyond that, identifications of other figures have been hypothetical, as Raphael made not designations outside possible likenesses, and no contemporary documents to explain the painting.   To complicate matters, some have received multiple identifications. 

#1. Leonardo da Vinci as Plato.  Holding the Timaeus and pointing to the heavens, speaks with Aristotle (#2).

#2. Aristotle.  Holding the Ethics and gesturing towards the earth.

#15. Plotinus.

#19. Raphael as Apelles  

#20. Timoteo da Urbino

#21. Claudius Ptolemy

#22. Strabo ? or Zoroaster ?

#23. Euclid? or Archimedes? ( representing Geometry )

#28. Diogenes the Cynic

#29. Michaelangelo as Heraclitus

#30. Parmenides of Elea

#31. Hypatia ? or Frensesco Maria della Rovere ?

#32. Anaxagoras

#33. Pythagoras

#34. Boethius? or Anaximander? or Empedocles?

#35. Averroes

#37. Epicurus.

#40. Zeno of Citium.

#45. Alcibiades? or Alexander the Great.?

#46. Antisthenes? or Xenophon? or Timon?

#48. Aeschines.

#49. Socrates.