Allegorie met triomftocht van Alexander de Grote 1681 - 1724

François van Bleyswijck created this print portraying the Triumph of Alexander in 1724. Here we see Alexander as a triumphant conqueror, sitting regally upon an elephant. Angels, symbols of divine favor, hover above. Consider the elephant, a symbol of exotic power and conquest. Images of elephants appear in triumphal processions, not just here but also in ancient Roman art, symbolizing the far-reaching power and territorial claims of emperors and generals. Interestingly, the elephant also appears in contexts of royal power in India and Southeast Asia, demonstrating a cross-cultural symbolism that transcends geographical boundaries. The triumphant return is a recurring theme across millennia. This image is not just about Alexander; it's about the enduring human fascination with the spectacle of victory, and the deep-seated need to translate power into symbolic displays. It's a potent, cyclical motif, continually resurfacing across time.