Would one, or several, of you good folks take a butchers at this, and identify the subject of this graffiti art for me please? I know I should know him, but it's been 24hrs and the penny still hasn't dropped. All the classical beardy blokes look the same to me. Ta in advance.
LOL... Well thanks a bunch. I know I recognise it, but I've now scrutinised so many classical busts my eyes are ready for popping out of their sockets. Surely someone must know? If I label the pic incorrectly I'm gonna look like an idiot. (Not that that would be an altogether false assumption to make. )
I keep thinking Zeus, Aristotle, Socrates. If not them, Abraham or Moses? Geez, they all knew how to make busts of old guys with beards the same, didn't they? How did they manage to tell them apart? Greek #1: Let's give an offering to Zeus. I've got the things ready. Greek #2: Dude, that's Plato. Greek #1: <eyebrow arches> You sure? Greek #3: That's Poseidon, you idiots! How do you two not know the King of the Sea? Greek #4: Actually, if my eyes don't fail me, I do believe that's Hades. Greek #5: Aristotle. Totally Aristotle. Green #2: I've seen a lot of statues in my time, and I'm telling you all that that is Plato! Greek #4: You're going blind, Demos. How in Ionia does that look anything like Plato? Greek #1: <sighs> By Athena, you all are morons. I'm out. <walks away>
ROFL.. So, it's not just me that has this specific problem then, @Link the Writer. That's pretty much the conversation the voices in my head are having right about now. You nailed that spookily well.
This to me is a classic Zeus. But it could be God, Plato, Aristotle etc. This kind of 'older man in charge of everything' is such an ubiquitous archetype that whoever you choose him to be, you are unlikely to be wrong.
Maybe it could also be Homer. especially, because it appears to be blind (but I don't know if he had so long beard). Unless this is a copy of statue, in that case eyes don't mean anything, almost all statues of ancient philosophers/kings... have eyes such as these. Otherwise this looks like a Zeus or Plato to me.
I believe that it is and that's why I'm grasping. I have a funny feeling I remember seeing this particular sculpture or a rendition of it in one of my encyclopedias when I was a kid. And that's why I'm being careful not to treat him as a generic, ancient Greek beardy bloke. Socrates might well be in with a shot too: Although he's fuller faced, there are several busts of him with slightly drawn features, so it could be him. It might be worth mentioning that this artwork is on the gable wall of Belfast's Premier Wine Importers. I may be stretching it a little, but hemlock was usually administered in wine which gives a bit of context as to why such a seemingly random portrait was placed there. Aggh! I think I'm starting to grasp at straws.
I don't think it's Socrates or Aristotle. Plato, maybe. It could be Homer based on the eyes, but then again, if the artist is using a bust or sculpture as reference, there wouldn't be eyes there anyway. God seems more likely at this point. If only the hair was more detailed, I'd be able to make a more educated guess. Or it could be that the artist made up some random old dude, and the joke's on us.
I know I've seen it too. The schnoz is my memory trigger. I'm sure he's popped up during some History Channel show...
My first thought was Homer, it reminds me of the painting of Aristotle with a burst of Homer, anyway. Zeus is another good guess, or Poseidon. Whichever, it is a very typical version of the Greek 'wise old man'. It would be hard to really say with any certainty, it is an idealized image - as is any bust of Homer or god. Most images of old men were made to conform to this ideal in some way. Aristotle I am sure is depicted with a shorter beard. Socrates had a larger mouth as we can see above. Also it looks a lot like the depiction of Homer with his guide dog on Chios. So yeah, my money is on Homer.
And therein lies the problem. The Greeks (and the Romans for that matter) weren't keen on making their busts radically different from each other. Sure there were minute changes and the bust would usually have a name; but for the most part, anyone without specific knowledge of Greek/Roman busts would see that picture and say, "That could be anyone."
Gets even worse when Romans would copy Greek styles and fashion. I think it was Marcus Aurellius who copied the hair style of Alexander of Macedon as essentially fan imitation.
Ta guys... more food for thought. Gotta say, I really hadn't considered it might be Homer... I'm fairly familiar with most the the depictions of him and I'm not convinced, nor Aeschylus either, although I'm not as familiar. I've done a quick bit of Goggling and it's not bringing up the image I was half expecting to see. Of course, whether the busts reflect the subject as young or old makes all the difference and then, as now, grooming styles change. Hmmm... if it were a commissioned piece, and I expect that it was, it might be worth popping my head in to ask, or I could check out the tag to see if the artist has an online presence to get a definitive answer. I was really hoping @Lemex, or @thirdwind might definitively put me out of my misery. I guess I'll just call the pic 'Unnamed Classical Beardy Bloke' then.
Google chrome lets me Google the actual image itself, but since I am in Portugal at the minute I can't do that. Anyone else know how to do that?
Actually, it might be Pythagoras too. Sorry, I don't know. The detail at the top of the head looks like it might be a laurel, or hair which in both ways rules out Socrates, but if it is a laurel it would be Homer I think, as that is a symbol of a supreme poet. If it is hair then that doesn't exactly narrow things down well. Also, is that armour he is wearing?
It could, but Antisthenes has more of a triangular beard didn't he? At least in busts. I don't know, I am going off of my memory mostly.
I guess it depends on what your definition of "triangular" is. Haha. Maybe the picture in the OP shows Antisthenes right after he got out of bed, so he didn't have time to comb (or "triangulate") that unruly beard.
