Cartoon for The School of Athens (Detail)Raphael

This detail from Raphael’s cartoon for The School of Athens (c. 1510) features a figure believed to be a self-portrait of the artist. Made as a preparatory work for the Vatican fresco, it demonstrates Raphael’s mastery of composition and form. His inclusion among philosophers may reflect his self-image as both artist and thinker, expressing the Renaissance union of art and intellect.