The Eye of the Beholder: Reflecting On the Purpose of Beauty and Art We’ve all heard the phrase “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder,” but what does this mean and does it hold weight? In this series, we will take a casual look at the philosophical debates concerning our experiences with beauty and art. Through questions and reflection, we hope to gain a deeper understanding of beauty and art and their place in our lives. Raphael’s School of Athens In the early 16th century, under the patronage of Pope Julius II, the Italian Renaissance painter, Raphael Sanzio da Urbino, painted one of the greatest frescoes of our known history, “The School of Athens.” According to the artist and art historian, Giorgio Vasari, the fresco depicts “the theologians reconciling philosophy and astrology with theology…” and Raphael “portrayed all the wise men of the world presenting different arguments” (Vasari 312). …