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, transf...

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...