Diogenes

Waterhouse painted Diogenes the Cynic at the age of 33 in the mid-point of his life. By this time, he had taken his place among the ranks of esteemed artists for his notable talent. In this artwork, Waterhouse is showing us his most preferred style (pre-Raphaelite) with a scene that seems reasonably simple yet is interesting to ponder about. In the forefront, we find Diogenes sitting inside his favored home - a pithos (large ceramic jar used for storing food and beverages), holding a written scroll in his hands, and listening with apparent annoyance to what one of the two wealthy looking ladies on the stairs next to him is telling him. There is a great contrast between the women and Diogenes: he looks old, purposefully ragged, and bothered by attention, while the women appear to be well looked after (one of them is accompanied by a servant) and comfortable with their place in life. They should not have a care in the world, yet they have come to this lone cynic away from the crowds visiting the normal public attractions. The marvelously nuanced scene could almost be taken for a photo with all it's small details and fine brushwork. A wisely chosen perspective stands out here; notice how the women are on higher ground than Diogenes and how the scene in the front looks livelier thanks to the unaware citizens in the background. We can also see the lamp that Diogenes allegedly walked around with during the day while looking for an honest man and the onions on the ground near him, which were most likely donated to him. Nothing has been left to chance; the faces capture vividly what the main attitudes were. We can imagine quite easily how the heat of the day affected everyone, and as our eyes travel to the back of the scene, there are some serene looking mountains in the summery background.