Battle of Issus;

View Description

Download

small (250x250 max)

medium (500x500 max)

large ( > 500x500)

Full Resolution

Loading content ...

you wish to report:

Your comment:

Your Name:

Submit

Cancel

...

Rating
Title	Battle of Issus;
Title Alternative	Battle of Alexander;
File Name	98400712.jpg
Copyright Status/Owner	Public Domain
Rights (Patron Usage Instructions)	http://www.lib.byu.edu/genericnote_copyright.html
Course	HUM 202
Lecture Number	4
Professor	Green, Jon D., 1940-
Description	Duke Wilhelm of Bavaria commissioned Battle of Issus in 1528 as a propagandistic allegory for his inaugural campaign against the Turkish armies that were invading Austria and threatening the frontier of Bavaria. The panoramic painting depicts the defeat of Darius in 333 BC by Alexander the Great and highlights the exhilaration and confusion typical in battle, with the two great leaders almost lost in the mayhem. Nature itself mirrors the chaos of the fight, with the dramatic turbulence in the skies. Altdorfer’s painting is based on a description of the battle written by Johannes Aventinus, a scholar commissioned by Duke Wilhem in 1527 to write a history of Bavaria as part of the anti-Turkish campaign. Aventinus’ description of the bloody, all-day slaughter is reflected in Altdorfer’s grandiose representation that ultimately ends with the triumph of the sun, a symbol for Alexander who was known as the sun-god. Just as Alexander defeated the Persian forces trying to conquer the world, the Hapsburg army and their allies (including Bavaria) would vanquish the imposing Turkish force that was attempting to conquer all of Europe. The crescent moon in the upper left corner further heightens the parallel, as it was a sign for Islam. This impressive portrayal demonstrates Altdorfer’s love of landscape as well as his attention to detail, both typical to Northern Renaissance art. Altdorfer was famous for this type of landscape with its birds-eye view, swirling clouds, deep valleys and jutting craggy mountains. Although the scenery may look purely imaginative, he actually derived details from contemporary maps, mostly of the land from Greece to Egypt. The awesome topography highlights the cosmic nature of the fight and the universal struggle between nature, humanity and God. Altdorfer’s landscapes, such as this one, influenced many other artists in their portrayal of romantic and fantastic landscapes and became a key motif in German Renaissance art.
Creator	Altdorfer, Albrecht, ca. 1480-1538
Artist	Altdorfer, Albrecht, ca. 1480-1538
Country	Germany
Geographic Region	Europe
Type	Slide
Platform	Cross-Platform
File Size	0
Genre	Paintings
Category	Art
Keywords	Altdorfer, Albrecht; Battle of Alexander; Battle of Issus; German Renaissance Art;
Time Period	Northern Renaissance
Date Range	1520 AD: 1600 AD
Historical Date	1520 AD
Date Original	1529
Date Digital	2005-03-29
Contributor Metadata Entry	Pending
Quality	Low
Collection	Western Civilization
Contributors	Brigham Young University
Edition	Electronic reproduction;
Format	JPEG
Owning Institution	Alte Pinakothek, Munich
Physical Description	62 1/3 x 47 1/4 in.
Publisher Digital	Brigham Young University
Source	James Snyder, Northern Renaissance Art, 2nd ed., revised by Larry Silver and Henry Luttikhuizen (Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 2005), 358-360.
Use Time	0:00:00

Find results with:

Searching collections:

Home Battle of Issus;

Battle of Issus;

Description

Tags

Comments