After a design by, and woven at the workshop of, Karel van Mander the Younger (1579–1623)
Holland, Delft
The Crossing of the Granicus from The Story of Alexander the Great
INV-6516
After a design by, and woven at the workshop of, Karel van Mander the Younger (1579–1623)
Holland, Delft1619
The Crossing of the Granicus from The Story of Alexander the Great
After a design by, and woven at the workshop of, Karel van Mander the Younger (1579–1623) Holland, Delft →Renaissanceeuropeanweaving - tapestrytextile
Date
1619
Medium
Wool and silk, slit and double interlocking tapestry weave
Dimensions
408 × 419.9 cm (160 5/8 × 165 1/2 in.)
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Location
Chicago, IL
Credit
Gift of the Antiquarian Society of the Art Institute of Chicago
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.
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