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46 - French school circa 1820 Socrates drinking the hemlock Paper…
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Estimate €500 - €800
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Description
French school circa 1820 Socrates drinking the hemlock Paper mounted on canvas 42.3 x 32.3 cm. Socrates did not commit suicide in the modern sense. Sentenced to death in 399 BC by the court of Athens for "impiety" and "corruption of youth", he refused to flee despite being offered the opportunity. Our painting can obviously be compared with The Death of Socrates, a masterpiece by Jacques-Louis David painted in 1787, one of the most emblematic paintings of French neoclassicism. The painting depicts the last minutes of Socrates, sentenced to death in 399 BC by the Athenians for corrupting youth. Surrounded by his weeping disciples, the philosopher, calm and dignified, reaches for the cup of hemlock presented to him by the executioner. Commissioned on the eve of the French Revolution, the painting became a republican symbol of resistance to injustice.
See original version (French)
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About the sale Classic sale - Historical souvenirs
Auction location
Auction time 06/19/2026 at 2:00 PM
Pictures credits: Contact the Auction House
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