My Place in the School of Athens

If I were in Raphael's "The School of Athens", I would be the philosopher and mathematician Pythagoras. Pythagoras was an unconventional thinker, and always tried to solve his problems in ways that were different than the norm. Pythagoras found alternate methods to do complicated math problems, most of which were much easier to do than previous methods. I also try to find different ways to go about my work. Whenever i am stuck on a math problem, i think of a different way to solve it then what I am taught. Like Pythagoras, i am a philosopher. I like to ponder the many mysteries of the world, such as why are we here, or whats the meaning to life, just like Pythagoras did. Despite this, i still do not have an intelligence level equal to Pythagoras, so i will have to follow his way of life at a smaller scale.

How can art be a mirror of society?

Although most people think art is just for enjoyment and entertainment, some people may see art as an image of society. Much of the art made during the high Renaissance was of the Classical world, and mirrors society of the ancient times. Artists used the classical world as their subject because they wanted to embrace the ideas of the Greeks and Romans. Since the Greek and Roman ages were high points in human culture and science, the artists wanted to use Greek and Roman ideas to project their image of ancient societies, as apposed to the violent and chaotic Middle Ages. In Raphael's "School of Athens", Raphael used Greek and Roman architecture, sciences, myths, and even several great philosophers and scientists from the Classical Ages to portray what Greek and Roman society was like. Art can also portray the artist's vision of a perfect society. Raphael intended to portray his "School of Athens" fresco as a humanist paradise, where any person would be free to roam the worlds of science and philosophy without being downtrodden by the Catholic Church. In the painting, there are many scientists and mathematicians studying and performing experiements, things they wouldn't easily be able to do under the churches watch. When looked at more carefully, art can reveal many different images of society in the world, whether it be a an ancient society, a surreal one, or the perfect society.