painting, watercolor
water colours
narrative-art
painting
asian-art
figuration
watercolor
coloured pencil
islamic-art
history-painting
mixed media
miniature
watercolor
This vibrant, anonymous painting illustrates Iskandar – that is, Alexander the Great – in battle with the Zangi. Notice how the blue tent at the upper left signifies royal presence. It's not merely a shelter but a symbol of authority, echoing the canopies seen in Roman imperial art, and even further back in ancient Near Eastern depictions of kings. Similarly, observe the chaotic swirl of combat: a universal motif for the turmoil of war. The figure of Alexander himself, on horseback, recurs throughout history, from classical sculpture to Renaissance paintings. This echoes the heroic ideal, adapting across centuries, each culture imbuing it with its own values. The collective memory of a great leader, transformed and reshaped, speaks to our deep-seated need for heroes, for figures who can overcome chaos and embody power. This urge, this need, continues to find expression, and the image of the hero resurfaces, ever transformed, yet ever present.
Comments
The Macedonian king Alexander the Great (256–323 BCE), known in Persian as Iskandar, is celebrated in the Shahnameh as the valiant figure who defeats the Achaemenid dynasty and takes the role of a great Iranian King. However, in keeping with the epic, many of his achievements were exaggerated and fictionalized. In this painting, mounted on gold-sprinkled paper, Iskandar is seen with his army, defending Egypt from an attack from the Zangi, the Persian term used to broadly describe the peoples of the Swahili coast of East Africa. While the scene is steeped in myth, the artist offers a realistic view of contemporary Safavid (1501–1736) battle, with special attention paid to frenetic action, as well as the details of the arms and armor. The composition’s dramatic vertical thrust adds another spatial dimension.
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