Passaggio di Alessandro sul Istro

About this artwork

verzamelaarsmerk, verso, gestempeld: Lugt 240

Art Historical Context

**Passaggio di Alessandro Istro** is a dynamic etching by Antonio Tempesta1555–1630), a prominent Italian Baroque artist renowned for his vivid history scenes and masterful printmaking. Created during Tempesta's prolific career, this work captures the dramatic moment of Alexander the Great crossing the Ister River—ancient name for the Danube 335 BCE. During his campaign against the Triballi tribe, Alexander forces bridged the swift waters using makeshift rafts and boats, showcasing his audacious military genius. Tempesta, who produced an extensive series of etchings on Alexander's life, transforms this historical episode into a bustling composition of soldiers, horses, and churning waves, emphasizing heroism and chaos. Measuring 164 × 277 mm, the etching exemplifies Tempesta's skill in the medium, where acid etches intricate lines into a metal plate for reproducible fine details—ideal for disseminating grand narratives to a wide audience in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. His Baroque style bursts with movement and energy, influenced by contemporary painters like the Carracci. The verso bears a collector's mark (Lugt 240), hinting at its prized status among connoisseurs. This print not only preserves a pivotal moment from antiquity but also highlights etching's role in democratizing art during the Renaissance print boom.

About the Artist

Antonio Tempesta · 1555–1630

Antonio Tempesta (1555–1630), known as 'Il Tempestino,' was a Florentine painter and printmaker whose extraordinary output of approximately 1,700 etchings made him one of the most influential printmakers of the early Baroque period. Born in Florence and trained under Santi di Tito and the Flemish master Joannes Stradanus, he enrolled in the Accademia del Disegno in 1576 before relocating to Rome i...