Plate 2: Alexander Cutting the Gordian Knot, from The Deeds of Alexander the Great 1608

This is Antonio Tempesta's engraving, "Alexander Cutting the Gordian Knot," part of his series, "The Deeds of Alexander the Great." Made in the late 16th or early 17th century, it presents a pivotal moment in the legend of Alexander. Tempesta, working in a time of European expansion and cross-cultural exchange, depicts Alexander confronting the famous Gordian Knot. The legend held that whoever could untie the knot would rule Asia. Alexander, impatient and perhaps embodying a certain European ambition, simply cut through it with his sword. This image, while ostensibly about Alexander, speaks to the complex dynamics of power, fate, and cultural destiny. Alexander's decisive action can be seen as a claim to authority. The engraving invites us to consider how such narratives shape our understanding of leadership and cultural encounters, and prompts reflection on the relationships between conquest, destiny, and self-determination.