The meeting of Diogenes of Sinope and Alexander the Great
Medium
Engraving
Dimensions
Sheet (Trimmed): 18 1/16 × 13 1/16 in. (45.9 × 33.1 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Elisha Whittelsey Collection, The Elisha Whittelsey Fund, 1951
Accession Number
51.501.7610
Tags
Art Historical Context
This engraving captures the legendary encounter between Alexander the Great, the mighty conqueror of the ancient world, and Diogenes of Sinope, outspoken Cynic philosopher who lived simply in a large ceramic jar. In the famous anecdote, Alexander approaches the sunbathing Diogenes and offers him any favor. Diogenes famously replies, "Stand out my light," rejecting worldly power in favor of personal freedom. This moment, symbolizing the clash between ambition and asceticism, has inspired artists for centuries. Created in 1784 by engraver Quirin Mark after an original composition by Baroque mas...
About the Artist
Quirin Mark|Peter Paul Rubens (Italian|Austrian) · 1648 |1753 –1729 |1811
Italian, Bologna 1648–1729 Bologna|Austrian, Littau 1753–1811 Vienna