Raphael Santi (Da Urbino) is an artist, graphic artist, and architect of the Renaissance. He is considered one of the outstanding representatives of the Umbrian school. His career was rapid, but very short since this greatest creator died at the age of 37 (Graham). The great Raphael Santi painted his fresco “The Athenian School” from 1509 to 1511. He was invited from Florence to Rome by Pope Julius II to decorate the state halls of the Papal Palace. Raphael designed three galleries in the palace, and The Stanza Della Segnatura is adorned with his masterpiece “The Athenian School.” Although it depicts more than fifty characters, there is no feeling of a crowd or compression, and everything is so proportional and harmoniously located on it.
During the Renaissance, classical humanism was actively developing and filling all spheres of people’s lives. The authors demonstrated their contribution with the respect to the state of art (Bonaccorsi, 2018). The basis of his idea is the study of man and his spiritual activity. The painting celebrates science, and philosophy, and even though it is called the “Athenian School,” it depicts not only Athenian scientific luminaries. Instead, the name of the painting shows the tendency of the High Renaissance era to turn to ancient culture and to science in general, which were forgotten in the Middle Ages. Raphael’s art put forward an individual artistic claim to perfection (Rijser, 2019). The artist depicted a monumental building with magnificent decoration and strict symmetry. In the center of the picture is an arcade, which focuses on two philosophers – Plato and Archimedes. It is believed that the steps of the ladder symbolize the stages of knowledge. The philosophers are depicted not only from different countries but also lived at different times. It turns out that the ideal society of ancient thinkers is defined.
Studying this picture will help me in my work and life the fact that I have gained new knowledge and expanded my horizons. Moreover, the fresco inspired me to study and gain further understanding. In addition to visual art, literature also helps significantly in life. World fiction affects the formation of personality and the worldview of readers. Great writers appealed to the human consciousness and probably counted on the fact that this appeal applies to their contemporaries and subsequent generations of people. Fiction is a powerful tool to convey the norms, rules, principles, a vision of the world, and attitude to the information received. All cognitive processes are involved in perceiving a work of art: memory, thinking, and imagination.
As for me, literature has helped me develop my intellect, replenish my vocabulary and get to know the world. In addition, literature has revealed in me such a trait as empathy. Literature allowed me to develop my imagination by presenting images, backgrounds, and actions. In my opinion, literature is not for nothing considered an art that influences consciousness with the help of simple words. I believe that reading fiction is an obligatory component of the personal development of every person.
The humanities will have an exceptionally positive impact on both career and life. For example, with the help of the humanities, he develops the speech apparatus and acquires public speaking skills. It is often imperative to express opinion correctly and competently convey information to managers or clients. In this case, a good vocabulary, and the ability to build a conversation will be beneficial. The literature will greatly help in the formation of such skills by reading books on various topics and written by other authors. Philosophy allows people to learn how to formulate and argue the main ideas and values of their worldview, apply them during the analysis of professional problems and situations, make a meaningful value choice, and determine the meaning, goals, and tasks.
Moreover, the humanities will help develop ways to expand the individual’s creative potential, social communication, and management. Furthermore, the humanities will provide an opportunity to learn how to communicate productively with people, prevent and resolve conflicts, manage a team, and develop a career. With a comprehensive study of the disciplines of the humanitarian block, it is possible to form an integral personality and skills that will help communicate effectively with other people at work and in everyday life. The knowledge gained from the study of the humanities is very important and valuable as it forms the basis of many modern scientific works.
In conclusion, Raphael was one of the most outstanding artists of the Renaissance. His monumental creations decorated the halls of palaces and became widely known around the world. Some of his works were performed at a reasonably young age, making the author even more famous. The mural of The School of Athens depicts people who were the standards of the humanities. This makes all people think about the importance and benefits of studying these sciences. The humanities bring significant benefits to the development of intelligence, and speech, expand the horizons, and have an invaluable influence on the formation of communication skills of any person. People can start studying literature, art, and music from an early age since most knowledge is postponed at a young age.
References
Bonaccorsi, A. (2018). The evaluation of research in social sciences and humanities: Lessons from the Italian experience. Springer.
Graham, H. Raphael: An introduction.
Rijser, D. (2018). Tradition and originality in Raphael: The Stanza Della Segnatura, the Middle Ages and local traditions. In The Quest for an Appropriate Past in Literature, Art and Architecture. Leiden. Web.