Bust of Heraclitus

Circle of Orazio Marinali (1643-1720)
17th century, Marble

This marble bust represents the head of the philosopher Heraclitus wrapped in a cloak and looking upwards. Like the similar sculpture of Democritus, placed opposite to it, Heraclitus has a thick beard, and a few curls can be seen emerging from under the drapery. Orazio Marinali was born in the province of Vicenza and trained in Venice with Giusto Le Court (1627-1679); he worked as a sculptor from 1675 onwards, mainly in the Veneto area, producing dramatic works characterised by an intensely expressive rendering of faces that verged on the grotesque, with the deformation of their physiognomy. Marinali founded a very productive workshop in Vicenza with his brothers Francesco and Angelo, and they executed numerous works for palaces and churches in the city and region.