Albrecht ALTDORFER - The battle of Alexander at Issus (about 1480)

 

The battle of Alexander at Issus
1529
Oil painting on canvas (133x120 cm)
Alte Pinakothek, Munich

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A pleasantly Nordic landscape is the majestic setting of this historic event. The landscape manages to worthily enhance the grandeur of the event, which curiously is not the focal point of the construction of the painting.

A cartouche, which recalls the decorations of classical painting, announces the victory of the hero Alexander the Great over Darius, who is present on the battlefield, on his battle chariot but we must look for him!

Albrecht Altdorfer is the master of bright colors and this painting highlights all his mastery.

In the city of Regensburg he enjoyed great fame and importance. His journey undertaken in 1511 through the Alps and along the Danube is of great importance. Here the painter will be strongly impressed by the landscape, as we can see in this work executed after his journey.

The landscape will be the subject of many of his works, including drawings and engravings, without particular narrative purposes but for pure and simple aesthetic pleasure.

Comparing artists: Dossi, Dürer, Leonardo, Patenier, Uccello