DEMETRIUS, a Greek sculptor of the early part of the 4th century B.C., who is said by ancient critics to have been notable for the life-like realism of his statues. His portrait of Pellichus, a Corinthian general, was admired by Lucian. He was contrasted with Cresilas (q.v.), an idealizing sculptor of the generation before. Since, however, the peculiarities mentioned by Lucian do not appear in Greek portraits before the 3rd century B.C., and since the Greek art of the 4th century consistently idealizes, there would seem to be a difficulty to explain. The date of Demetrius is confirmed by inscriptions found on the Athenian Acropolis.
(P. G.)