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The Brooklyn Museum

Elizabeth A. Sackler Center for Feminist Art
The Dinner Party: Heritage Floor: Arete of Cyrene




signature image

Judy Chicago (American, b. 1939). The Dinner Party (Heritage Floor; detail), 1974–79. Porcelain with rainbow and gold luster, 48 x 48 x 48 ft. (14.6 x 14.6 x 14.6 m). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of the Elizabeth A. Sackler Foundation, 2002.10. © Judy Chicago. Photograph by Jook Leung Photography

Arete of Cyrene
Flourished circa 350 B.C., Cyrene, ancient Greece

Arete, a philosopher of the fourth century B.C., was born in the Greek colony of Cyrene (in present-day Libya). Her father, Aristippus, was a follower of Socrates; her son, also named Aristippus, was her disciple. Arete's family established the Cyrenaic school of hedonism, which promoted an ethic of pleasure as the supreme good in the world. Although it is said that she produced some forty books, including treatises on education and agriculture, none of these works are extant.

Related Place Setting

Aspasia

Related Heritage Floor Entries

Aglaonice
Agnodice
Aristoclea
Aspasia of Athens
Axiothea
Cynisca
Damo
Diotima
Elpinice
Euryleon
Hipparchia

Hippo
Lamia
Leontium
Nicobule
Perictyone
Phile
Salpe
Telesilla
Theano
Theoclea

Last updated January 29, 2007.
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