Impressive Plato sketch adorns LU department wall
Students of Lucknow University will be in for a surprise on Monday if they happen to pass or visit the department of philosophy. Jai Prakash—a student and faculty in the Arts College has made a sketch of Greek philosopher Plato on the wall at the entrance of the department .
“This is for the first time that a sketch of this kind has been made on a wall in the Lucknow University,” said Prof Rakesh Chandra, head of the department of philosophy.
The picture of Plato that has been selected is from among the School of Athens painted by renowned Renaissance painter Raphael. The School of Athens comprises pictures of great mathematicians, philosophers and scientists including Plato, Aristotle, Socrates, Pythagoras, Euclid, Ptolemy, Zoroaster, Raphael, Sodoma and Diogenes
“There is a parallel between his works and classical Indian thinkers and so we decided to get his sketch made,” said Prof Chandra. “We chose Plato because of a few reasons. Plato was the first philosopher who gave us written philosophical history,” he added.
The Plato painting that has been made on the department’s wall is pointing upwards is symbolising higher goodness, beauty and justice. The sketch has been made with charcoal pencil and pastels. A fixer has also been made to avoid any damages to the sketch.
“Arts College is very much a part of Lucknow University and with immense talent there, I thought of making this creative experiment in the department,” said Prof Chandra.
“Even earlier, we had got two paintings of Maria Montessori and Sarojini Naidu made by Arshad Umar, a scholar in the Arts College. This was the first time in the history of more than a century old LU that paintings of great women personalities were made. The paintings are now displayed in the Malviya Hall,” he informed.