Death of Socrates

A black chalk drawing of a stone-walled hall crowded with draped, robed men in classical dress. At center, a seated figure lifts an arm toward a standing man holding a cup, while mourners cluster on the steps and at the right. The tiled floor and arched recess give the scene a solemn, architectural frame.

Look closer: A coiled rope or cord lies on the tiled floor at the lower right.

Artist

Jean-Baptiste Joseph Wicar

Date

ca. 1782–92

Medium

Black chalk

Source

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Size

3686 × 2494 px

Credit (appreciated, not required for public-domain works): The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Gift of Monroe Warshaw, in honor of Nadine M. Orenstein, 2015