Parrhasius
Parrhasius, of
Ephesus, one of the greatest painters of
Greece. He settled in
Athens, and may be ranked among the
Attic artists. The period of his activity is fixed by the anecdote which
Xenophon records of the conversation between him and
Socrates on the subject of art; he was therefore distinguished as a painter before
399 BC. Seneca relates a tale that Parrhasius bought one of the
Olynthians whom Philip sold into slavery,
346 BC, and tortured him in order to have a model for his picture of
Prometheus; but the story, which is similar to one told of
Michelangelo, is chronologically impossible. Another tale recorded of him describes his contest with
Zeuxis. The latter painted some grapes so perfectly that birds came to peck at them. He then called on Parrhasius to draw aside the curtain and show his picture, but, finding that his rivals picture was the curtain itself, he acknowledged himself to be surpassed, for Zeuxis had deceived birds, but Parrhasius had deceived Zeuxis.
He was universally placed in the very first rank among painters. His skilful drawing of outlines is especially praised. and many of his drawings on wood and parchment were preserved and highly valued by later painters for purposes of study. He first attained skill in making his figures appear to stand out from the background. His picture of
Theseus adorned the
Capitol in
Rome. His other works, besides the obscene subjects with which he is said to have amused his leisure, are chiefly mythological groups. A picture of the
Demos, the personified People of Athens, is famous; according to the story, which is probably based upon epigrams, the twelve prominent characteristics of the people, though apparently quite inconsistent with each other, were distinctly expressed in this figure.
