A Closer Look: Episode 30 - The Alexander Mosaic
The Naples Archaeological Museum’s huge artwork, known as the Alexander Mosaic, is one of the most iconic ancient examples of this medium.
A monumental work, it shows Greek and Persian forces, helmed respectively by Alexander the Great and his nemesis Darius, at a critical moment in one of their numerous military encounters. A dynamic composition made up of millions of tiny pieces of stone, it decorated the most prestigious house in all of Pompeii and is one of the most important meditations on conquest and violence to have come down to the Western art tradition.
Dr Mary Jane Cuyler, an archaeologist and Latin scholar, joins us to explain further. You can view a high resolution image of the Alexander Mosaic here.
Image courtesy of Berthold Werner (Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0)
Dr Mary Jane Cuyler
Dr Mary Jane Cuyler is an archaeologist and Latin scholar with extensive experience working on excavations in Greece and Italy.
Dr Kathleen Olive
Kathleen is a specialist in Italian language and literature and has led tours to Italy, France, Spain, the USA, Japan and Australasia for more than fifteen years. Kathleen is a director of Limelight Arts Travel.