1516
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
The Nine Heroes: Hector of Troy, Alexander of Macedon, Julius Caesar is a 1516 by Lucas van Leyden, a Renaissance work, held at Cleveland Museum of Art.
This black-and-white print shows nine men riding on elephants. Each elephant has a howdah (a raised seat) with a person dressed in armor or robes. Above them, a banner names three of the riders: Hector, Alexander, and Julius Caesar. The scene looks busy with swirling decorations, like leaves and scrolls, around the figures. The print mixes real people with fantasy—elephants weren’t common in Europe at the time. The artist used sharp lines and detailed textures to show armor and fabric. Look up Lucas van Leyden to see how he made history with this style.
Lucas van Leyden (1494 – 8 August 1533), was a Dutch painter and printmaker in engraving and woodcut. Lucas van Leyden was among the first Dutch exponents of genre painting and was a very accomplished engraver.
See the richer artist page
