The Banquet of Alexander
Medium
Engraving
Dimensions
Sheet: 9 3/4 x 14 7/16 in. (24.7 x 36.6 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Georgiana W. Sargent, in memory of John Osborne Sargent, 1924
Accession Number
24.63.1092
Tags
Art Historical Context
This engraving, created between 1540 and 1550 by Francesco Primaticcio and Domenico del Barbiere, captures a lively banquet scene featuring Alexander the Great. Produced during the height of the Renaissance, the work reflects the era’s deep fascination with classical antiquity and heroic figures from ancient history. Alexander, surrounded by men in a festive gathering, embodies ideals of leadership, camaraderie, and grandeur that resonated strongly with 16th-century European audiences. As an engraving, the medium allowed artists to reproduce intricate details with remarkable precision, making...