An image is not available here yet.
View at the museum ↗The Crossing of the Granicus, from The Story of Alexander the Great
Karel van Mander, II1619
- Attribution
- After a design by, and woven at the workshop of, Karel van Mander the Younger (1579–1623) Holland, Delft
- Medium
- Wool and silk, slit and double interlocking tapestry weave
- Physical dimensions
- 408 × 419.9 cm (160 5/8 × 165 1/2 in.)
- Credit line
- Gift of the Antiquarian Society of the Art Institute of Chicago
Museum metadata is available under CC0. Image availability and rights are separate; consult the source record.
Source rights statement: Public domain
View the museum record ↗From the museum
This tapestry dramatizes a battle fought in 334 B.C. between the Macedonians and the Persians. Alexander the great, king of the Macedonians, is depicted just left of center; dressed in ornate gilt armor, he rides a white horse and raises a sword boldly above his head. Facing him is a Persian general on a dark horse with both hands grasped around an axe. Although Alexander appears imperiled, he was ultimately victorious in the battle. the tense moment represented here provided a compelling narrative for noble patrons in the 17th century, willing to imagine Alexander's triumphs as equivalent to their own.
Description: Art Institute of Chicago · CC BY 4.0