Bust of Democritus

Venetian, circle of Orazio Marinali (1643-1720)
17th century, Marble

The iconological features of this sculpture are not sufficient to definitively identify it as the philosopher Democritus. It can, however, be dated to the Baroque period, when busts and bas-reliefs depicting illustrious figures from antiquity were sought after by cultured and refined collectors. The style of the sculpture dates it to the 17th century and allows us to attribute it to the excellent workshop of the Venetian artist Orazio Marinali, who was active in Venice in the second half of the 17th century. Marinali had trained in Venice with Giusto le Court, from whom he had learned to render expressions as meticulously as possible, and he had a rare sensitivity for working with materials.