Presumed Portrait of Alexander the Great 1719

This is Bernard Picart's "Presumed Portrait of Alexander the Great," made with red chalk, and is currently held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Immediately, the oval composition focuses our gaze on the figure, rendered in delicate sanguine tones. The hatching technique gives form and volume to the figure, yet it also suggests a certain fragility, a transient existence captured on paper. The portrait’s presumed subject, Alexander, is presented with traditionally feminine features. This destabilizes established categories of gender and power. Picart’s choice of soft lines and warm hues invites a re-evaluation of masculinity, challenging the viewer to reconsider fixed notions of heroism and beauty. The drawing prompts us to consider how artistic representation shapes our understanding of historical figures. It reminds us that art serves as a site where cultural values are negotiated and redefined, and that even portraits can be fluid and open to reinterpretation.