Alexander de Grote wordt aangevallen door Rhoesaces en Spithridates c. 1655 - 1665

Leonaert Bramer created this dynamic drawing, "Alexander de Grote wordt aangevallen door Rhoesaces en Spithridates," using pen in gray ink and gray wash. Bramer was working in a Dutch Golden Age context in which the social status of artists was changing. They were beginning to create art for a wider audience. The drawing depicts a dramatic moment of warfare centered around the iconic figure of Alexander the Great. The artist invites us to consider how leaders are made and unmade through historical representation. He highlights the vulnerability of even the most celebrated figures. The composition emphasizes the chaos and violence of battle, challenging the traditional glorification of warfare. The scene is immediate and visceral. Consider how Bramer used the image of a powerful, historical leader to reflect on the nature of power itself. The drawing encourages us to see beyond the legend and to recognize the human cost of ambition. It challenges the notion of heroism. It asks us to consider the narratives we construct around leaders and the values they embody.