Alexander the Great at the Tomb of Achilles, Giovanni Paolo Panini

Alexander the great (356-323 bc) is said to have ordered the tomb of achilles (greek hero in the trojan war) to be opened so that he could pay homage to his legendary predecessor. Achilles's tomb was in what is today turkey; to suggest an ancient setting outside the roman world, panini introduced an egyptian pyramid in the background. The painting and its companion, "alexander the great cutting the gordian knot" (walters 37. 516), represent panini's fantasy of the grandeur of the ancient world. Object Type: painting. Date: between circa 1718 and circa 1719 (Baroque). Place of creation: Rome, Italy. Dimensions: Painted surface height: 73.3 cm (28.8 in); width: 65 cm (25.5 in). Medium: oil on canvas. Collection: Walters Art Museum. Giovanni Paolo Panini - Alexander the Great at the Tomb of Achilles - Walters 37510