Print, 'Diogenes and Alexander', Salvator Rosa, Rome, 1662

In a landscape, a bearded man, simply dressed, sat in front of a barrel, confronts a young man in armour standing before him, armed figures around are contemplating the scene.

Townshend Bequest

Bequeathed by the Rev. Townshend in 1869

Historical significance: Although none of Salvator Rosa's etchings are dated, this etching is traditionally ascribed to a date around 1662. The present work, which belongs to Rosa's group of larger etchings, was probably based on an early painting, probably done in Florence in the 1640s, and now in Althorp, Northampton.
In the print, the composition focused on the stylistic contrast and philosophical confrontation between the two main characters: the cynic philosopher Diogenes and Alexander the conqueror. They embodied two opposite attitudes toward society. Diogenes withdrew from the world and lived as a hermit in the woods, hence his savage appearance whereas Alexander, shown as a gracious young man, conquered half of the Mediterranean world and therefore embraced the idea of living in society, yet as a sovereign. These two philosophical attitudes may have attracted Rosa who demonstrated some scorn for the society but wanted at the same time to conquer a place in the artistic world.
A preparatory study, probably intermediary between the painting and the print, is in the British Museum, London (Ff,2.180). Two sketches are in Leipzig (7456.24.2 and 7457.25.45C).

The original plate is preserved at the Calcografia Nazionale in Rome (Inv. 747g).

Salvator Rosa (1615-1673) was born in Arenella near Naples and soon absorbed the energy and violence informing Neapolitan art, characteristics which would be apparent throughout his career. Rosa was a prolific etcher but he also produced drawings and paintings. He particularly favoured subjects taken from the classical Antiquity, such as in the present case. The print shows here the ancient Greek philosopher Diogenes confronting the Emperor Alexander the Great.

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