Zeuxis, a Greek painter, born probably in Heraclea in Bithynia about 450 B. 0., died probably in Athens in the first half of the following century. He was a contemporary of Apollodorus of Athens and of Parrhasius, and was one of the leaders of the Asiatic or Ionic school, which succeeded the Athenian. His peculiar excellences consisted in a grand style, great mastery of form, effective coloring and chiaroscuro, a dramatic effect of composition, and felicity in the choice of subjects. He also exhibited to perfection that accuracy of imitation and skill in depicting sensual charms which formed the chief characteristics of his school. On the other hand, according to Aristotle, he failed to present character in such a manner as to elevate the feelings and moral sentiments of the spectator, excelling rather in expressing the ideal standard of human beauty, or in imitating such natural objects as are incapable of an ideal representation. His most celebrated work was his Helen, painted for the city of Creton, which was designed, it is said, after five of the most beautiful virgins of that place, and continued for many ages to be visited by artists as the recognized type of female beauty.

Among his other famous works were a Hercules strangling the serpents, which he presented to the Agrigentines, Jupiter in the assembly of the gods, a Penelope, a Marsyas, a Cupid crowned with roses, and a family of centaurs. Late in life he had a contest with his young rival Parrhasius for the preeminence in their art, of which the following is narrated: Zeuxis painted some grapes with such exactness as to deceive the birds, which pecked at them; but Parrhasius, by a representation of a curtain which apparently concealed a picture, deceived Zeuxis himself, and was adjudged the better painter. At another time Zeuxis painted a boy carrying grapes, at which the birds also flew; but in this instance the artist was displeased at his success, remarking that if the boy had been as well painted as the grapes the birds would have feared to approach the picture. A great portion of the life of Zeuxis was passed in Ephesus, but he also painted in Macedonia, in Athens, and in the Greek colonies of Italy.