Parrhasius

or Parrhasios

(flourished 5th century BC, Athens, Greece) Greek painter. He was praised by ancient critics as a master of outline drawing. He apparently succeeded in portraying various psychological states in his depictions of the face. Many of his drawings on wood and parchment were preserved and highly valued by later painters for purposes of study. His picture of Theseus adorned the Capitol in Rome; other works were chiefly mythological groups. No works or copies survive.

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