Three Philosophers, Oil On Panel, 17th Century

Three characters are represented. The first seated at the bottom left holds a book in his hand. He is dressed in Greek attire. Behind him, standing another character this time in oriental dress consults a book. Beside him on the right a third character holds in his hand a square and what seems to be a cross. With his index finger he points beyond a curtain to a space on the paved floor represented in perspective. The theme of the three philosophers was painted between 1505 and 1509 by Giogione. The work kept at the Museum of Art History in Vienna dealt with the transmission of ancient knowledge up to the Renaissance and celebrated the effort undertaken then to reconcile faith and science. In this sense, we can make several hypotheses about our table. The Greek philosopher could represent Aristotle or Plato. The character dressed in the oriental Averroes or Avicenna. All have tried to reconcile science and faith. As for the third, dressed in red, it could be either Plotinus (a neo-Platonic Roman thinker who appears dressed all in red in Raphael's school of Athens, or an architect square in hand. This last hypothesis invites us to consider the resemblance of the face (because it seems that it could be a portrait) with the preserved portraits of Michelangelo and would direct the analysis towards a homage to the brilliant architect, painter and engineer fully committed to the neo-Platonic philosophy. let you judge.