Alexander in the Studio of Apelles

About this work

This etching shows a man standing in front of a large canvas, pointing at it while holding a small tool. To his right, another man sits on the ground, gesturing with one hand. Behind them, a third figure holds a sword and looks upward. The background includes a draped curtain and a partially visible building. The scene looks like a story about an artist judging his own work. The text at the bottom is in Latin, hinting at a deeper meaning. Next, look up technique: etching, drypoint, aquatint to see how these methods create such detailed lines.