Supper Vs Juxtaposition

The Renaissance paintings of the School of Athens by Raphael and the Last Supper by Leonardo Da Vinci show Renaissance interest in human social interaction. These paintings show the importance of social interaction through perspective, color, and formal organization. Raphael’s School of Athens presents the significance of the philosophical aspect of human social interaction during this art movement. On the other hand, Da Vinci’s the Last Supper shows the importance of the theological aspect of human interaction. Both paintings reveal Renaissance artist’s interest in human contact and behavior. In other words, these two paintings embody the Renaissance through the elements of color, perspective, and organization in a way that highlights the importance of human social interaction.

Raphael places Plato and Aristotle in the central part of the painting in an effort to emphasize their importance. Raphael then uses color to differentiate between what Plato and Aristotle represent. Plato is dressed in a purple and red tunic, which represents the elements of air and fire respectively. This is important because these colors are representative of Plato’s focus on theory and the abstract. In contrast, Aristotle is wearing the colors blue and brown, which represent water and earth correspondingly. These elements are significant because they represent Plato’s focus on the practical and physical. Here Raphael defines the organization of the painting. Raphael then further reinforces the difference between the two sides through the books that each philosopher is holding. On one hand, Plato holds his Timaeus a rather abstract piece of literature regarding the creation of the universe. In contrast, Aristotle is seen holding his Nicomachean Ethics a book regarding the tangible subject of ethics. As a