"No one was ever wise by chance." - Seneca
From "Letters from a Stoic" (Letter 76: On Learning Wisdom in Old Age). Seneca wrote 124 letters to his good friend Lucillius in his final three years of life, between his withdrawal from the court of the craven emperor Nero, and his forced death by the emperor's decree. In this letter, Seneca rightly points out that while chance can provide wealth or status, it cannot provide virtue or wisdom, and encourages his friend to diligently study philosophy.
In this illustration, an owl carrying a scroll confronts the viewer with wings unfolded. The wings are "lined" with Latin text from Seneca's letters rendered in a handwritten style of the period, a challenge and invitation to contend with the writings of this wise and patient philosopher.
Obvious State is a creative studio and publisher founded by Nichole and Evan Robertson in 2011.
We make bold, illustrated editions and fine art drawn from the classics.
Our books and prints are available in our shop and in bookstores and boutiques nationwide.
Our work has been featured at The Folger Shakespeare Library, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, The American Writers Museum, The Emily Dickinson Museum, The Library of Congress, The Getty Museum, The Museum of Contemporary Art and more.
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Provocative visuals paired with punctuated language, full of surprising visual metaphors, subtext, and insider nudges that reveal themselves slowly.
Our pocket editions are portable art objects made to collect, share, and inspire moments of quiet reflection in an overstimulated digital world.
We’re drawn to language that has stood the test of time, insights that strike a chord, poetry that stretches the imagination, and philosophy that prompts critical thinking.
