Secondary sourcePainting
Line Engraving of Socrates by Landon
Charles Paul Landon
An imagined portrait of Socrates engraved by Charles Paul Landon, long after the philosopher's death.
An imagined later portrait of Socrates, showing how artists pictured him long after his death.
About this source
What it is
This is a line engraving showing a bust of a bearded man with curly hair and a furrowed brow, labelled SOCRATE. It was made by Charles Paul Landon, centuries after Socrates lived, and is now held by the Wellcome Collection in London.
Why it matters
No portrait of Socrates was made during his lifetime, so every image of him is an invention by a later artist. This print shows how Landon and his audience pictured the philosopher, based on descriptions and earlier traditions rather than any real likeness.
Look closer
- Why might an artist give Socrates a furrowed brow and curly hair?
- What clues tell you this is not a portrait made from life?
- What does the label SOCRATE suggest about who this image was made for?
This painting is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Socrates on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.
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