The Symposium, with Alcibiades Entering

What it is

This etching shows a classical interior where bearded men recline and sit around a table, with musicians and jesters in the background. On the left, a nude young man crowned with a wreath enters the room. It was made by Pietro Testa in 1648 and is held by the Wellcome Collection. The scene illustrates the symposium, or drinking party, described in Plato's dialogue of that name.

Why it matters

Plato's Symposium is one of the most famous accounts of a gathering where Socrates and his companions discussed love and philosophy. The entering figure represents Alcibiades, a prominent Athenian associated with Socrates in Plato's writings. This later print shows how artists continued to imagine the philosophical culture of ancient Athens centuries afterward.

Look closer

• Why might the artist show Alcibiades entering dramatically rather than already seated?
• What do the musicians and jesters in the background suggest about the setting?
• How does this image compare to what you imagine a philosophical discussion might look like?