Raphael painted The School of Athens in the Apostolic Palace in the Vatican.
The fresco was made between about 1509 and 1511 for the room now called the Stanza della Segnatura. It forms part of a broader decoration program commissioned by Pope Julius II. The room’s paintings represent major areas of knowledge, including philosophy, theology, poetry, and law.
The composition gathers famous ancient philosophers in an idealized architectural setting. Plato and Aristotle occupy the central position, while other figures are associated with thinkers such as Socrates, Pythagoras, Euclid, and Diogenes. Raphael reportedly used contemporary artists as models: Plato is often linked with Leonardo, and the figure of Heraclitus has traditionally been associated with Michelangelo. These identifications are customary interpretations rather than inscriptions made by Raphael.