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About This Work
The figure seen from behind wearing a yellow robe and a crown is Claudius Ptolemy, who holds a terrestrial globe. Facing him is the bearded figure of Zoroaster, holding a celestial sphere representing the stars and heavens. On the far right, Raphael includes his own likeness looking directly at the viewer, standing next to another artist, possibly Sodoma or Perugino.
This grouping represents the study of the macrocosm and the physical world as essential components of classical wisdom. The presence of Zoroaster reflects the Renaissance interest in 'Prisca Theologia'—the idea of a single, ancient theology that connects all religions and was often linked to esoteric and Hermetic traditions.