Vatican Museums-6 (193)

The philosopher is shown seated in isolation on the marble steps of a grand classical hall, leaning his head on his hand in a pose of deep melancholy. He rests a sheet of paper on a large block of stone, writing intently while the other philosophers interact around him. This specific figure is widely identified as a portrait of Raphael's contemporary and rival, Michelangelo.

Heraclitus, known for his doctrine of universal change and the 'Logos', was a vital figure in the 'prisca theologia' tradition studied by Renaissance Neoplatonists. His inclusion here, particularly in the guise of Michelangelo, reflects the 16th-century association between philosophical depth, solitary genius, and the melancholic temperament.