by Shaun Kenney
The University of Virginia enjoys a near-exact copy of Raphael’s School of Athens — nearly a copy only because the original is owned by the Vatican which has a certain allergy regarding exact copies of their collections. In their wisdom, a near-exact copy was produced that is precisely four inches smaller than the one found in the Apostolic Segnatura.
The room where Raphael’s most famous work was originally designed for the library and study of Pope Julius II only to be converted to use by the Vatican’s equivalent of the U.S. Supreme Court — quite literally the Courts of Grace and Justice.
Politicians are often quick to mention that politics itself is not and never will be the School of Athens. The late Virginia State Senator Russ Potts used to quip that politics ain’t beanbag, which is true only in the sense that beanbag at least had a certain set of rules and a culture of honor. After all, who would beanbag someone twice in an elevator?
The problem with “defending democracy”
Of course, Raphael’s painting was there for the consideration of an audience, initially popes and cardinals only to yield to those presenting their cases before the court. One of those lessons is in the upper left, where among the people are two characters. The man to the right? None other than Socrates himself enumerating his case before the mob. Within the midst of this mob, a man clad in armor with his hand on the hilt of his sword. Who is this individual? Some believe him to be Alexander the Great, others Pericles — and others believe him to be Alcibiades (Pericles’ heir).
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