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Mount Athos Carved as a Monument to Alexander the Great

A work made of oil on canvas.
CC0 Public Domain Designation

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  • A work made of oil on canvas.

Date:

1796

Artist:

Pierre-Henri de Valenciennes (French, 1750–1819)

About this artwork

Pierre-Henri de Valenciennes, a leading landscape artist in late-18th-century France, sought to elevate the art of landscape to the level of history painting. In the hierarchy of subjects set by the French artistic establishment, the painting of inspiring religious and historical narratives was placed higher than the imitation of nature. Valenciennes followed the 17th-century precedent of Nicolas Poussin by imbuing his landscapes with moral content. This work and its companion, Alexander at the Tomb of Cyrus the Great, address questions of fame and mortality through episodes from the life of Alexander the Great (356–323 B.C.). Here Valenciennes depicted an unrealized project to perpetuate Alexander’s glory—a monumental image of the ruler carved into Mount Athos.

Status

On View, Gallery 218

Department

Painting and Sculpture of Europe

Artist

Pierre Henri de Valenciennes

Title

Mount Athos Carved as a Monument to Alexander the Great

Place

France (Artist's nationality:)

Date  Dates are not always precisely known, but the Art Institute strives to present this information as consistently and legibly as possible. Dates may be represented as a range that spans decades, centuries, dynasties, or periods and may include qualifiers such as c. (circa) or BCE.

1796

Medium

Oil on canvas

Inscriptions

Inscribed lower right: P. Valenciennes / [...] 1796

Dimensions

41.9 × 91.4 cm (16 1/2 × 36 in.); Framed: 58.5 × 108.3 cm (23 × 42 5/8 in.)

Credit Line

Purchased with funds provided by Mrs. Harold T. Martin

Reference Number

1983.36

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https://api.artic.edu/api/v1/artworks/100061/manifest.json

Extended information about this artwork

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