Diogenes
1526
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
1526
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
This painting shows a bearded man in a barrel, holding a lantern, with a plucked chicken at his feet and a bird flying behind him. The shadows are deep, almost like a sketch. The man is Diogenes, a philosopher who loved to challenge ideas. The chicken is a joke on Plato—Diogenes brought it to class to prove a point. The strong light and dark areas make the scene feel dramatic, even though it’s just ink on paper. Look up *chiaroscuro* to see how artists use light and shadow to create depth.
