Art reflects society through its characters and themes included in the painting, particularly in this painting, the Renaissance has influenced this painting to be. The painting School of Athens is a piece dedicated to the whole driving force of the Renaissance period, an age where the thirst for knowledge and observation of the world consumed every man and women caught in it's grasp. This particular painting by Raphael has 2 main points of Renaissance influence. The first is architecture, as you look at the actual building in the painting, it consists of Roman and Greek architectural aspects such as columns, rounded arches, and pagan statues of Roman/Greek gods. The second is the two men in the middle, whom one is a thinker and his apprentice a scientist of observation. This divides the room into two groups, the thinkers on the left and the scientists/observers to the right. The Renaissance was an age of rebirth, this rebirth was of observation, progress, enlightenment, but most importantly, knowledge. So as you have the thinkers like Heraclitus ( a Greek thinker) and Plato (as well as many others) of both Greek and Renaissance era's, the knowledge is also being rediscovered in the Greek and Roman remains too, showing just how well the Renaissance people looked back at their own heritage as well as progressed in their own. Onto the scientists and observers of the real world, they also made impressive progress, but in realistic ideas, rather than the thinkers ideas of dreams, ideas unsupported by proper evidence and passion for the unknown out there in the world and universe around us! So art is a reflection of its society, without it, words are all that is left, but as they say, pictures are stronger than words.
If I were a person from the painting School Of Athens, I would be Athena, for her skills in war, strategy, wisdom yet passion for 
justice. I have always had a mind for battle, the strategies playing out to imaginary achievements or failures. Athena is a justice loving godess too, which I believe is a trait of great importance, without justice, where would we be? Even now to fight for justice is hard, and I try my best on the scales I have in my hands. I also admire Athena for her wisdom, knowing when to act in a certain way is an art I continue to find important, as well as knowing certain things to help others, such as dealing with certain probelms before or even helping with homework. I wish to be like Athena, with a passion for justice, a slight thirst for action, and a heart of wisdom and strategy.
justice. I have always had a mind for battle, the strategies playing out to imaginary achievements or failures. Athena is a justice loving godess too, which I believe is a trait of great importance, without justice, where would we be? Even now to fight for justice is hard, and I try my best on the scales I have in my hands. I also admire Athena for her wisdom, knowing when to act in a certain way is an art I continue to find important, as well as knowing certain things to help others, such as dealing with certain probelms before or even helping with homework. I wish to be like Athena, with a passion for justice, a slight thirst for action, and a heart of wisdom and strategy.
