A famous anecdote told by Pliny the Elder reveals the friendly rivalry that existed between two Greek artists.

Parrhasius is said to have competed with Zeuxis. When Zeuxis painted a backdrop of grapes with such success that birds flew up to it, Parrhasius countered with a picture of a curtain so truly represented that Zeuxis, excited by the decisive action of the birds, noisily demanded that the curtain be removed, if you don't mind, and the picture shown. When he saw his error, he conceded the prize with ingenuous modesty, saying that, although he had deceived the birds, Parrhasius had deceived him, an artist. Zeuxis is said also to have painted at a later date a 'Boy Bearing Grapes,' and, when, birds flew up to it, with the same directness of mind he confronted the painting in anger, and said: 'I painted...