Philosophers

[Wineyard]

Today I played around with some Hobbit parts and tried to improve my photography skills. This is the result:

Karl Marx

and Adam Smith.

Two of the most important philosophers of economic and political theory in modern times. Their writings changed the world and the two have become quite controversial ever since, especially Marx. Since philosophy and history are two subjects that are dear to me, I hope to continue building this kind of important historical characters in the future :)

[odidoma]

I like the figs and looking forward to see more characters from our history!

[Balthazar]

Nice figs! I like second man... Bilbo?

[Ardelon]

I recognized Marx instantly! Adam Smith has the problem of looking like all the other 18th century dudes with wigs and shaved faces (just switch out the head and you can cross Kant off your list as well...). When The LEGO Movie sets come out, you can use the robo-cowboy moustache to make an iconic Nietzsche. Looking forward to more...

[Wineyard]

I recognized Marx instantly! Adam Smith has the problem of looking like all the other 18th century dudes with wigs and shaved faces (just switch out the head and you can cross Kant off your list as well...). When The LEGO Movie sets come out, you can use the robo-cowboy moustache to make an iconic Nietzsche. Looking forward to more...

Yes, designing Smith was a bit of a challange - and you're absolutly right, he looks like any 18th century guy. I first began with Marx, cause I had this idea for quite some time now, with Balin's hair and beard piece. But I felt that if I was going to do Marx, I also needed his 'companion'.

Since Nietzsche is one of my favorites philosopher, I already had the moustache idea in mind :) But thanks for the tip anyway. I think the combo will turn out great :)

[kabel]

wow, that Marx figure is really great! Are you planning on making more, like aristotle, sokrates, rousseau and all those others?

[Infernum]

Nice figs! Excellent photos too!

[Wineyard]

wow, that Marx figure is really great! Are you planning on making more, like aristotle, sokrates, rousseau and all those others?

Yes, I hope to continue with this project! Here are my new ones:

Niccolò Machiavelli by Ichthuz, on Flickr

Frederick II by Ichthuz, on Flickr

[TheLazyChicken]

Those are really interesting figs!

[kabel]

Wineyard, this is totally amazing, although I do think that FII wasn't really that much of a philosopher. And Machiavelli was someone I would have thought about too!

[Moexy]

If it is Frederik II of Prussia then indeed he was a philosopher. He had private correspondance with Immanuel Kant and and he was an admirarer of Rousseau. He published some traities on various philosophical subjects and he greatly stimulated the advancement of knowledge and the advancement of the arts in the German language. Something special about him was that he was always in dialogue with his subjects/people, he accepted critique because he knew it improved knowledge.

Love them all untill now, especially Adam Smith! Great job!

Edited December 9, 2013 by Moexy

[kabel]

@moexy: F II was a king who was interested in philosophy and who was in contact with other philosophers, true (the rest of what you're saying ir more or less disputed in Germany). But I wouldn't consider him to be a genuine philosopher. Nor would I consider him a genuine musician although he did play the flute cosiderably well. That he is a great historical figure is not the question, it's just that I don't think he belongs in a line with all these other people that are being portrayed here. Nevertheless I think that the figure looks extremely well done!

[Wineyard]

Thanks guys! I really appreciate that you liked these :)

Neither do I see Frederick II as a genuine philosopher. The reason I put him together with Machiavelli was that he wrote a refutation of Machiavelli's The Prince where he simply rejected Machiavelli's theories with quite weak arguments.

I like to put these historical characters in pairs that have stuff in common or are opposite of each other. Machiavelli is pragmatic, Frederick II is idealistic.

[gazumpty]

Great work with the mini-figs...I also like the way you have captured them. Im going to try messing around with my Nikon DSLR and a fixed 40mm Lens :)