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Lot Essay
The Athenian philosopher Plato (circa 427-347 B.C.) was perhaps the most famous of his generation. A pupil of Socrates, Plato travelled throughout Greece after his teacher's execution, visiting Cyrene, Egypt, south Italy and Sicily. In 386 B.C. he returned to Athens and founded the Academy, where he taught and wrote for forty years.
Diogenes Laertius, writing in the 3rd century A.D. and quoting the earlier writer Favorinus, informs that "Mithridates, the Persian, is said to have set up a statue of Plato in the Academy" (see p. 182 in Richter, The Portraits of the Greeks). It is clear that portraits of Plato, as well as other of the great Greek philosophers, were popular with wealthy Romans. It is likely that most were copies of the original from the Academy. Cicero writes that he had one at his villa at Tusculum, and Olympiodoros says that portraits of Plato "were set up everywhere" (Richter, op. cit., p. 182). The articulation of the eyes of the present example in the manner typical of the 3rd century A.D., confirms that Plato's popularity remained undiminished throughout the Roman Empire.
Diogenes Laertius, writing in the 3rd century A.D. and quoting the earlier writer Favorinus, informs that "Mithridates, the Persian, is said to have set up a statue of Plato in the Academy" (see p. 182 in Richter, The Portraits of the Greeks). It is clear that portraits of Plato, as well as other of the great Greek philosophers, were popular with wealthy Romans. It is likely that most were copies of the original from the Academy. Cicero writes that he had one at his villa at Tusculum, and Olympiodoros says that portraits of Plato "were set up everywhere" (Richter, op. cit., p. 182). The articulation of the eyes of the present example in the manner typical of the 3rd century A.D., confirms that Plato's popularity remained undiminished throughout the Roman Empire.