Italian Artwork With Representtions of Epicurus

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    Thanks to Michele Pinto I see these two paintings of Epicurus by Agostino ScilliI have never before seen!

    Agostino-Scilla-Epicuro-229x300.jpg   Agostino-Scilla-Epicuro-1-245x300.jpg


    http://epicuro.org/gli-epicuro-di-agostino-scilla/


    The blog post linked here tells about them. That blog post also mentions the Raphael School of Athens, and the representation that is ATTRIBUTED as being Epicurus, but which Elli has shown, is probably not, as there is another character who DOES look very much like Epicurus! As soon as I can find a good link I will post that discussion here in this thread too -- perhaps Elli already has a good link (?()

    The painger Agostino Scilla (1629-1700) made a series of works dedicated to philosophers. Among these at least two are dedicated to Epicurus, both made in oil on canvas. Well, this is very important information. Among the years of 1629-1700 and before the busts of Epicurus to be discovered i.e. in 1734, the painter Agostino Scilla had painted Epicurus with a face similar to our known busts. And now a question : Where Agostino Scilla saw the figure of Epicurus to paint him so similar to our known figures of his busts ? Because on the fresco by Raphael "School of Athens" that was the years 1510-1511, the conjecture for Epicurus states that is a child with a smirk, which is crowned with vine leave !

    Beauty and virtue and such are worthy of honor, if they bring pleasure; but if not then bid them farewell!

    Yes Michele, as Elli indicates --- after she posted her theory two years ago, we got into quite a debate as to whether the Italians knew what Epicurus looked like before the discovery of the Herculaneum busts with his name inscribed.

    Can you help us get to the bottom of this?

    After all, you are now our resident expert on all things Epicurean in Italy!!! ;)

    Elli I consider both of these to be pretty good likenesses of Epicurus as a "younger" man -- do you agree?

    By no means do they look like that little cherub with the garland on his head that people point to in the School of Athens fresco!

    Note that in both of these Epicurus is associated with a jar of some kind. Could that be a reference to the "full jar" analogy that we know of at least from Lucretius book 6 and other places?


    Michele can you help us with other details and potential symbolism of these two paintings?

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