The painter Rapahel was one of the most talented and skilled painters in history. Although best known for his intimate and sentimental images of Mary and Baby Jesus, his great mural of the School of Athens, in the former library of Pope Julius II (now known as the Stanza della Segnatura), best defines him. In this painting, his depiction of the greatest philosophical and scientific minds of the ancient world, Raphael demonstrates his unrivaled ability to create a balanced composition, as well as sublime figures. This lecture will formally identify its characters, which, in some cases, are also portraits of Renaissance artists, as well as analyze how Raphael synthesized the styles of Leonardo and Michelangelo into his own unique painting style.