Ambrosiana

The School of Athens Raffaello Sanzio (1483-1520)

The School of Athens

Raffaello Sanzio (1483-1520)

  • TITLE

    : The School of Athens
  • AUTHOR

    : Raffaello Sanzio (1483-1520)
  • INVENTARIO

    : 126
  • DATE

    : 1509
  • TYPE

    : Drawing
  • TECNIQUE

    : Charcoal,Preliminary cartoon,White Lead
  • DIMENSIONS

    : 285 × 804 cm
  • SUBJECT

    : Preliminary cartoon
  • SCUOLA PITTORICA

    : Renaissance
  • ROOM

    : 5

This drawing is certainly one of the most precious artworks in the collection and in the city of Milan. It is the largest renaissance cartoon that has survived to this day, and was made by Raphael as a preparatory work for the Stanza della Segnatura in the Vatican, which was commissioned by Julius II. It entered Federico Borromeo’s collection in 1626, when he purchased it from the widow of Fabio Borromeo Visconti for the massive sum of six hundred imperial lire, even though it had actually been on loan to the Ambrosiana since 1610. Although it is known as The School of Athens, the more exact title is Philosophy, as suggested by the allegory of the same subject painted on the vault above the fresco in the Stanza della Segnatura, as part of a very complex iconographic project. At the centre we see the two greatest philosophers, Plato (painted with the likeness of Leonardo, with his finger pointing upwards and identifiable by the Timaeus he is holding, one of his works that had enormous influence on later philosophy) and Aristotle, who is identified by his book of Ethics.

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  • TITLE

    The School of Athens
  • AUTHOR

    Raffaello Sanzio (1483-1520)
  • INVENTARIO

    126
  • DATE

    1509
  • TYPE

    Drawing
  • TECNIQUE

    Charcoal,Preliminary cartoon,White Lead
  • DIMENSIONS

    285 × 804 cm
  • SUBJECT

    Preliminary cartoon
  • SCUOLA PITTORICA

    Renaissance
  • ROOM

    5

WHAT’S ON

READING ROOM CLOSURE FROM SEPTEMBER 24 TO 29

Ambrosiana

READING ROOM CLOSURE FROM SEPTEMBER 24 TO 29

Reading room closed from September 24 to 29 included

24/09/2025-29/09/2025
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19/09/2025-14/10/2025
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SEPTEMBER 28: SPECIAL EVENING OPENING

Ambrosiana

SEPTEMBER 28: SPECIAL EVENING OPENING

From 18.00 to 19.30 (last admission) entrance to the Art Gallery and Crypt at the special price of €3.00

28/09/2025-28/09/2025
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