Secondary sourcePaintingbetween 1813 and 1816
Socrates and Alcibiades
Christoffer Wilhelm Eckersberg · between 1813 and 1816
An early 19th-century painting imagining Socrates with his pupil Alcibiades.
Depicts Socrates with his pupil Alcibiades, illustrating his role as teacher and mentor to young Athenians.
About this source
What it is
This painting was made between 1813 and 1816 by Christoffer Wilhelm Eckersberg. It shows an older bearded man in a white robe extending his hand toward a nude young man seated nearby.
Why it matters
The painting imagines a moment between Socrates and his young follower Alcibiades, a relationship often discussed in ancient accounts of Socrates' teaching and influence on Athenian youth. Made centuries after Socrates lived, it reflects how 19th-century artists revived classical subjects to explore ideas about mentorship and beauty.
Look closer
- What does the gesture between the two figures suggest about their relationship?
- Why might the artist have chosen to show Alcibiades nude?
- What historical evidence, if any, might this scene be based on?
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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