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Death of Socrates

ca. 1782–92
Not on view
Born in Lille, Wicar studied art in the French capital, entering the studio of Jacques-Louis David in 1781. He accompanied David to Rome in 1784 and, with the exception of two brief periods, spent the remainder of his life in Italy. He achieved success as a painter of portraits and history subjects in the style of his master. He was elected to the Accademia di S Luca in Rome as well as academies in Naples, Milan, and Bologna. Wicar was also an important collector of drawings, building up a series of collections, one of which formed the core of the Musée des Beaux-Arts, Lille.

Here, a quickly executed compositional study in black chalk shows the ancient philosopher Socrates in prison, holding his chalice of poison and addressing a large assembled group of acolytes and observers. Steps can be seen in the arched opening at right and a diagonal line indicates the fall of light against the back wall.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Death of Socrates
  • Artist: Jean-Baptiste Joseph Wicar (French, Lille 1762–1834 Rome)
  • Date: ca. 1782–92
  • Medium: Black chalk
  • Dimensions: Sheet: 10 1/4 × 14 3/4 in. (26 × 37.4 cm)
  • Classification: Drawings
  • Credit Line: Gift of Monroe Warshaw, in honor of Nadine M. Orenstein, 2015
  • Object Number: 2015.712
  • Curatorial Department: Drawings and Prints

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Study of Drapery, Jean-Baptiste Joseph Wicar French, Black chalk, heightened with white, squared in black chalk, on beige paper
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Portrait of Nicolas Trigault in Chinese Costume, Peter Paul Rubens Flemish, Black, red, and white chalk, blue pastel, and pen and brown and black ink on light brown laid paper
Portrait of Nicolas Trigault in Chinese Costume
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1617
Gaetano Rossi Napoletano, Jean-Baptiste Joseph Wicar French, Conté crayon
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The Connoisseur, Honoré Daumier French, Pen and ink, wash, watercolor, lithographic crayon, and gouache over black chalk on wove paper
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Liberali de Verona, Jean-Baptiste Joseph Wicar French, Conté crayon
Liberali de Verona
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