Philippus II van Macedonië en Alexander de Grote op 17-jarige leeftijd in de strijd tegen Thebe c. 1655 - 1665

Leonaert Bramer's "Philippus II van Macedonië en Alexander de Grote op 17-jarige leeftijd in de strijd tegen Thebe" (c. 1655 - 1665) depicts a dramatic scene of ancient battle. The drawing, now housed in the Rijksmuseum, features a tumultuous scene of charging horses and fallen soldiers, a testament to the dynamism of 17th-century Dutch Baroque art. The composition, with its central focus on a chariot, emphasizes the power and momentum of the battle. The artist's precise lines and detailed rendering of the figures and horses evoke the chaos and violence of war. This historical subject matter, typical of Bramer's oeuvre, reveals his fascination with classical antiquity and the power of ancient heroes.