Symbolism and Iconography

• A lot is going on in "The School of Athens," but the figures and objects are by no means superfluous. Each has its own significance, sometimes a symbolic one. The physical centrality of Plato and Aristotle shows their importance in the ancient world. Other Greek philosophers, such as Heraclitus, Ptolemy and Zoroaster, also appear in the painting.
  
  

Perspective

• The painting is bisected by a series of lines that converge on the center (the "vanishing point"). This gives it a sense of perspective and the two philosophers appear to be "walking" down the hallway toward the viewer. Shading in the background arches and in the foreground further develops a sense of perspective and depth.
  
  

Geometry

• "The School of Athens" incorporated Renaissance design styles of symmetry and balance. The painting is perfectly balanced along its horizontal and vertical axes. A nearly-even number of figures on the right and left maintain the symmetry, and the archways leading toward the background also emphasize this balanced geometry.
  
  

Architecture

• "The School of Athens" is a painting, not a work of architecture, but it employs architectural styles that were being developed at the time by the more advanced Renaissance artists. The painting's architecture is, typical of the Renaissance era and fitting for the subject, very classical in nature. The style is Romanesque, featuring a barrel-vault, balanced alcoves and a dome in the middle.