The School of Athens

An engraving reproducing with some differences Raphael's fresco of The School of Athens, painted in c.1509-10 in the Stanza della Segnatura in the Vatican. The engraving, printed from two plates, is on two joined sheets of paper. Some figures and details are hand-coloured in grey wash. Lettered with artists' names at lower centre (lower right of the left-hand plate), and with publisher's address and date at lower right (lower right of the right-hand plate).

The scene is identified on the print as St Paul preaching in Athens, a story told in the Acts of the Apostles (chapter XVII) and summarised in the inscription lettered in the lower left corner. The arched format of the fresco's composition was changed and adapted to the rectangular format of the engraving, which is thought to have been made from a drawing of Raphael's finished fresco. Who may be held responsible for the drawing from which Ghisi worked is ongoing matter of debate.

This print is the first by Giorgio Ghisi to be published by Hieroninymus Cock, who probably invited Ghisi to his printing house 'Aux Quatre Vents' in Antwerp in 1548 or 1550. For further discussion, see Bibliographic References.