Under a thick, unkempt mustache, shining teeth, and sensual lips. The man in the painting, half-naked and smiling, has his face turned toward the viewer. His right hand rests on his waist, in a pose that accentuates the heavy folds of a red cloak.
The otherwise rather ordinary figure of the thin, short-statured man with a broad face and playful expression, as well as the tight black attire with a white lace collar, suggest the portrait of some cheerful Spanish nobleman or courtier of the 17th century. However, the person depicted is none other than the Greek philosopher Democritus, who seems to be amused by the world, symbolized by the globe on the table.
Velázquez painted the portrait of Democritus in 1628/29, a time when he showed particular interest in the work of the great Flemish Baroque painter. The influence of Rubens will also be equally evident in some of Velázquez's later works, such as Mars, the ancient god of war, which he painted in 1639-1641.
