Plato's Cave

Jan Pietersz Saenredam after Cornelis Cornelisz van Haarlem

National Gallery of Art

This is a print of a detailed interior scene with people in a cave-like environment. There is a contrast between the illuminated faces of the people near the entrance on the left and the people clustered in the deeper, darker parts of the cave on the right. In the center of the cave, a low wall appears to extend, trapping the people on the right into a dark, confined area. On top of this wall are small statues of people in different positions holding different objects, like long horns or scepters. Some of the statues have large wings. These statues cast shadows on the wall to the far right. To the left of center, a hanging brazier casts light on the left side of the print, below which a group of men in robes seem to converse together. Behind them is the arched opening of the cave, and beyond it we can see three distant people standing together against a pale sky. There is Latin text above and below the print.