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Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Hover to magnify, click for fullscreen
Original fileThe philosopher is shown from the chest up, resting his head pensively on his left hand with a downward, contemplative gaze. He is depicted with a short, curly beard and wearing a simple tunic with a broad collar. This 19th-century print isolates and identifies a specific figure from Raphael’s larger Vatican composition to serve as a standalone portrait of ancient wisdom.
Epictetus was a foundational figure of Stoicism, a school of thought that deeply influenced Renaissance natural philosophy and moral ethics through its focus on internal self-governance. This print reflects the enduring legacy of Raphael’s 'School of Athens' as the definitive visual canon for representing the lineage of Western philosophical tradition.
Raff. dipinse Luigi Agricola delin. Ant. Regona inc. EPITTETO FILOSOFO Nato in Terapoli nella Frigia. Fu schiavo di un Liberto di Nerone. Visse poverissimo; ricco però di anni, e di filosofiche cognizioni morì sotto l’Impero di Adriano.
Translation
Raphael painted; Luigi Agricola drew; Ant. Regona engraved. EPICTETUS THE PHILOSOPHER Born in Hierapolis in Phrygia. He was a slave of a freedman of Nero. He lived very poorly; but rich in years and philosophical knowledge, he died under the Empire of Hadrian.
Epictetus
The print depicts the author of the 'Enchiridion' and 'Discourses', central texts in the Stoic tradition.
Raphael
The image is a detail study based on Raphael's 'School of Athens' fresco in the Apostolic Palace.
Object
Fresco
portrait
Digital Source
Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0
Private collectioninstitution QS:P195,somevalue,P3831,Q768717
1240 × 1753 px
Linked Data
AI AI-cataloged fields generated by gemini-3-flash-preview on April 2, 2026. Getty identifiers are AI-inferred and may require verification.