The Death of Socrates
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The Death of Socrates is a 1787 painting by the French painter Jacques-Louis David.
It represents the scene of the death of Greek philosopher Socrates, condemned to die by drinking hemlock, for the expression of his ideas against those of Athens' and corrupting the minds of the youth. The painting also depicts both Plato and Crito, with the former sitting ruefully at the edge of the bed and the latter clutching the knee of Socrates. Socrates had the choice to go into exile (and hence give up his philosophic vocation) or be sentenced to death by drinking hemlock. Socrates chose death: "The unexamined life is not worth living."
This painting is currently on display at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York as one of Jacques-Louis David's greatest pieces of art.
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