The Philosopher Diogenes searching for an honest man

The subject of Diogenes was significant for Castiglione, as he produced a number of works in different mediums on the theme. Lives of the Philosophers (1:2), records that Diogenes Laertius set out by lamplight to search for a man of honest worth. Founder of the Cynics, Diogenes felt that materialism inevitably led to a loss of virtue. Although the print is sometimes described as unfinished, by deliberately omitting part of the philosopher’s arm Castiglione creates a metaphor for Diogenes’ belief that light (Truth) is more powerful than form. (A Connoisseur's Eye: Prints from the Tomory Collection, 2005)

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