Heraclitus
1628
Meet Heraclitus, the ancient Greek philosopher who had a serious case of the blues about humanity. Here, the Dutch master Hendrick ter Brugghen captures him leaning wearily on a globe, literally resting his weight on the world's folly. Painted in 1628, you can see the artist's signature floating in the background. Ter Brugghen was a follower of Caravaggio, using dramatic lighting to make the old man's wrinkled skin and expressive hands pop against the rich purple robe. He looks like he's in the middle of a tearful rant, fitting for the 'Weeping Philosopher' famous for crying over human stupidity—often contrasted with his buddy Democritus, who just laughed at it all.
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