Final answer:
Raphael is compared to notable Renaissance artists such as Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo; he adopted Leonardo's dynamic figures and Michelangelo's monumental presence. His School of Athens is praised for its balance and High Renaissance ideals, differing from the later Mannerist style.
Step-by-step explanation:
Raphael, an Italian painter and architect of the High Renaissance, is often compared to other notable artists of his time, particularly Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo. His painting School of Athens is a masterpiece that synthesizes the styles of his contemporaries and antiquity. Raphael incorporated the dynamic and complex figures reminiscent of Leonardo's compositions, such as the contrapposto pose seen in Leonardo's Leda and the Swans. Similarly, the monumental presence of figures in School of Athens can be linked to the influence of Michelangelo, as Raphael even inserted Michelangelo's likeness into the painting after witnessing the Sistine Chapel. The School of Athens also contrasts with later artistic styles, like Mannerism, for its clarity, balance, and adherence to High Renaissance ideals.
The grandeur and architectural harmony of School of Athens exemplify Raphael's skill in depicting human grandeur and the intellectual zenith of antiquity. Where Raphael's work differs from artists that followed is in its immediacy and balance, qualities that Mannerists found less intriguing, preferring instead the more complex and emotional style that Michelangelo began to explore later in his career.