Zeuxis (painter)

Zeuxis (/ˈzjuːksɪs/; Ancient Greek: Ζεῦξις) (of Heraclea) was a late 5th-century- early 4th-century BCE Greek artist famed for his ability to create images that appeared highly realistic. None of his works survive, but anecdotes about Zeuxis' art and life have been referenced often in the history and literature of art and in art theory.

Much of the information about Zeuxis comes from Pliny the Elder's Natural History, but his work is also discussed by Xenophon and Aristotle. One of the most famous stories about Zeuxis centers on an artistic competition with the artist Parrhasius to prove which artist could create a greater illusion of nature. Zeuxis, Timanthes and Parrhasius were painters of the Ionian School of painting. The Ionian School flourished during the 4th century BCE.