The meeting of Diogenes of Sinope and Alexander the Great
Medium
Engraving; first state of two (undescribed)
Dimensions
Plate: 18 1/2 × 13 11/16 in. (47 × 34.7 cm) Sheet: 20 3/8 × 15 7/8 in. (51.7 × 40.3 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Harris Brisbane Dick Fund, 1947
Accession Number
47.100.1013
Tags
Art Historical Context
This engraving captures the legendary encounter between Alexander the Great and the Greek philosopher Diogenes of Sinope. According to ancient accounts, Alexander visited the philosopher, who lived in a simple, and offered to grant any wish. Diogenes famously replied that the king should simply step aside and stop blocking the sunlight. The dramatic confrontation highlights themes of power, humility, and philosophical independence that resonated across centuries. The composition is based on a design by Peter Paul Rubens, the leading Flemish Baroque master known for his dynamic figures and ric...
About the Artist
Peter Paul Rubens|Quirin Mark · 1577–1640
Peter Paul Rubens (1577-1640) stands as the most influential artist of the Flemish Baroque tradition and the greatest exponent of Baroque painting's dynamism, vitality, and sensuous exuberance. Born in Siegen, Westphalia, and raised in Antwerp, Rubens received a humanist education studying Latin and classical literature before pursuing artistic training under three masters: Tobias Verhaecht, Adam ...