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Alexander Mosaic from Pompeii
#16
Avete omnes,

in a book of Bernard Andreae "Das Alexandermosaik" the author represents the theory that the Pompeii mosaic was only a copy of an original painting that may-be has been distributed in many examples all over the Hellenistic and/or Roman world. I can highly recommend that book, allone for the quality of the plates that show nearly all details of the mosaic, but also for the text although regrettably for most of You, it is written only in German.

Other copies of the mosaic still wait to be uncovered, but nevertheless there are two artifacts that display the main event shown on the mosaic.

1. A relief cup from the workshop of one C. Popilius that shows Alexander surrounded by his companions in close combat with the poor Persian whom he perforates with his lance and Darius escaping on his chariot:

[url:2i6f0n4i]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v219/uwe-bahr/Alexandermosaik-ReliefbecherdesGaiu.jpg[/url]

2. An Etruscan urn showing only Alexander and the same Persian surrounded by only a few combatants and without Darius and his chariot:

[url:2i6f0n4i]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v219/uwe-bahr/Alexandermosaik-EtruskischeAschenur.jpg[/url]

Both scenes obviously derive from the same source. Interesting is that the Persian is exactly in the same pose as on the mosaic. His horse is broken down, he holds his left arm above of his head and with his right arm he tries to repel the lance impact. At the Etruscan urn he even succeeds to break the lance! That means both artists knew the original painting or one of its copies.

On the relief cup Darius holds his right arm with the same gesture as on the mosaic and between him and his defender is a further Persian on a rising horse, at the same position and with the same attitude as on the mosaic.

My question is, since there have been about 35 to 40 years gone after the edition of the book above, does anybody here in this forum know about other ancient reproductions of the event that is shown on the mosaic? This might help to get an idea of what was shown where the mosaic is damaged. For example at the relief cup there is on the left side of Alexander a rider stabbing with his lance downwards, a scene that might fit with the remnants on the left rim of the relief.

Greets - Uwe
Greets - Uwe
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Messages In This Thread
Alexander Mosaic from Pompeii - by Robert Vermaat - 01-20-2006, 01:03 PM
Re: Alexander Mosaic from Pompeii - by Uwe Bahr - 01-22-2006, 04:00 PM
Re: Alexander Mosaic from Pompeii - by Uwe Bahr - 01-22-2006, 04:04 PM
DARIUS\' CHARIOT - by Uwe Bahr - 01-24-2006, 01:39 PM
Re: Alexander Mosaic from Pompeii - by Arthes - 01-24-2006, 01:48 PM
Re: Alexander Mosaic from Pompeii - by Arthes - 01-24-2006, 02:03 PM
THE "TAIL" BEHIND ALEXANDER - by Uwe Bahr - 01-24-2006, 02:15 PM
Re: THE "TAIL" BEHIND ALEXANDER - by Arthes - 01-24-2006, 02:19 PM
SEVERAL COPIES OF THE ORIGINAL PAINTING - by Uwe Bahr - 01-31-2006, 12:23 PM
Re: Alexander Mosaic from Pompeii - by Uwe Bahr - 02-01-2006, 08:21 AM
Re: Alexander Mosaic from Pompeii - by Uwe Bahr - 02-01-2006, 11:26 AM
Re: Alexander Mosaic from Pompeii - by Arthes - 02-02-2006, 12:43 AM
Re: Alexander Mosaic from Pompeii - by Uwe Bahr - 02-02-2006, 07:05 AM
Re: Alexander Mosaic from Pompeii - by Arthes - 02-02-2006, 07:28 PM
Re: Alexander Mosaic from Pompeii - by Uwe Bahr - 02-03-2006, 09:34 AM
Re: Alexander Mosaic from Pompeii - by Uwe Bahr - 02-03-2006, 10:54 AM
Re: Alexander Mosaic from Pompeii - by Crispvs - 02-04-2006, 03:35 AM
Re: Alexander Mosaic from Pompeii - by Arthes - 02-05-2006, 07:36 PM
Re: Alexander Mosaic from Pompeii - by Arthes - 02-06-2006, 12:11 AM
Re: Alexander Mosaic from Pompeii - by Uwe Bahr - 02-24-2006, 01:05 PM
Re: Alexander Mosaic from Pompeii - by Uwe Bahr - 02-25-2006, 05:22 PM
Re: Alexander Mosaic from Pompeii - by Arthes - 03-01-2006, 09:55 PM

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