Page 362 - The Legacy of Abraham Rothstein - text

Portraits: historical

54 Diogenes *
Wood
16” x 2.25”

The ancient Greek philosopher, known as “The Cynic” for his
skeptical attitude toward material comfort and worldly
ambition, must have had a special appeal to AR. Best known
for living in a tub, Diogenes also is reported to have
dramatized his opinion of humanity by searching for an honest
man—with a lantern in broad daylight. The latter story is
illustrated here, quite effectively. Poverty is indicated by the
ragged robe and bare feet, old age by a very long beard and a
cane in one hand (the lantern is in the other). The figure,
mounted on a separate turned circular base, follows the natural
curvature of the branch from which it was carved.

65 Archimedes *
Wood
22” x 4.5”

The Greek mathematician is portrayed following a moment of
discovery: while stepping into a bath, he realized the principle
of equal displacement of equal masses—the answer to a
question he had been posed concerning the amount of alloy in
a crown allegedly pure gold. So excited was he by this
revelation that he rushed home without his clothes, shouting
“Eureka, eureka!” AR’s Archimedes is not in full flight; the
small-diameter branch from which he is carved would not
permit flapping arms and sprinting legs—but one leg is in front
of the other, a sure sign of movement in this body of work.
The great man’s hair and beard are neatly combed, indicating
an interrupted immersion, and he holds a neatly folded
(therefore still dry) towel over his shoulder. That cloth and a
drafting triangle in his other hand are strategically placed over
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