Presumed Portrait of Alexander the Great

Art Historical Context

This delicate red chalk drawing, created by Bernard Picart in 1719, offers a thoughtful interpretation of Alexander the Great, the legendary Macedonian conqueror whose image has inspired artists for centuries. As a “presumed” portrait, the work reflects the long-standing tradition of imagining Alexander’s features—often idealized with flowing hair and a heroic profile—based on ancient descriptions rather than verified likenesses. Picart, a skilled French draftsman and engraver active in the early eighteenth century, captures this mythic figure with remarkable sensitivity. The choice of red chalk, accented by black chalk framing lines, lends the portrait a warm, lifelike quality that was especially prized in Baroque and early Enlightenment drawings. This medium allowed artists to achieve subtle gradations of tone and texture, giving the small sheet (roughly the size of a sheet of paper) an intimate, almost sculptural presence. Today housed in the Metropolitan Museum’s Department of Drawings and Prints, the work invites viewers to consider how later generations continued to reimagine one of history’s most enduring icons.

About the Artist

Bernard Picart · 1673–1733

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