Socrates -- A Comic Actor in Terra-Cotta, c. 399 B.C.
greek, socrates, philosopher, terracotta, mask, theatre
A Greek Comic Actor Portraying Socrates, circa 423 BC.
Aristophanes' comedy, The Clouds - Νεφέλαι, produced for the first time in 423 B.C. and later rewritten and circulated as a manuscript, publicly ridiculed Socrates and accused him of immorality; the play was a major factor in the trial and subsequent execution of Socrates by poison.
Socrates said at his trial that public ridicule was harder to respond to than any philosophical argument. Other comics who ridiculed Socrates were Mnesimachus and Ameipsias.
Socrates refused to flee Athens; he felt that to do so would have countered all his philosophical ideas.
Masks were worn by comedy and tragedy actors. The face you are seeing on the terra-cotta figure is in fact a comic mask which would have been worn onstage when performing The Clouds.
The bottom half is missing; were it not so, it would never have fallen into my hands. This would make a wonderful gift to a museum, and I have it in mind that it will be endowed by the purchaser on passing.
It is not actually "for sale", but "for loan". Consider the price a donation to ensure it goes to the right home; part of the agreement here is the future endowment of the figurine to a highly responsive and responsible museum.
If the price sounds high, why not try to find another, cheaper one, somewhere? Fact is, you won't find anything even remotely like this and of this quality, condition and rarity.
$4500.00
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