{"type":"artobject","objectid":55773,"objectnumber":"2008-330","sortnumber":"2008  330","displaytitle":"Portrait of Alexander the Great","department":"Ancient, Byzantine, and Islamic Art","classification":"Sculpture","datebegin":-300,"dateend":-201,"datecomputed":-250,"daterange":"1000 B.C.-A.D 1","displaydate":"3rd century BCE","medium":"Fine-grained white marble, possibly Parian","dimensions":"18.4 × 14.7 × 15.7 cm (7 1/4 × 5 13/16 × 6 3/16 in.)\r\nbase: 9.4 × 9.6 × 9.6 cm (3 11/16 × 3 3/4 × 3 3/4 in.)","dimensionsproposed":"","creditline":"Museum purchase, Fowler McCormick, Class of 1921, Fund","markings":null,"inscribed":null,"signed":null,"catalograisonne":null,"creditlinerepro":"","restrictions":null,"nowebuse":"False","secondaryobjectnumber":null,"campuscollections":"false","on_view":true,"accessionyear":"2008-01-01","newaccession":0,"titles":[],"makers":[],"depicted":[],"texts":[{"texttype":"Online","textpurpose":"Provenance","textentryhtml":"Said to be from Ashmounein, ancient Hermopolis, in Middle Egypt. It was formerly in the collection of Wilhelm Horn (1870-1959), a Berlin banker. Horn bought it in Cairo from dealer Maurice Nahma, with an invoice dated March 6, 1933. The head passed by descent to Horn's grandson, who sold it at auction in 2005, where it was purchased by Rupert Wace.","remarks":null},{"texttype":"Online","textpurpose":"Gallery Label","textentryhtml":"Though smaller than life-size, this portrait of Alexander the Great nonetheless conveys the essence of the Macedonian conqueror’s outsized presence, with lionlike hair and a dynamic expression on his youthful, upturned face. Already in antiquity, Alexander the Great’s portraits were known for their vividness. As a group, they mark the beginning of a trend toward a type of portraiture that aims to capture the distinctive qualities of an individual. Ancient sculptures were originally painted, and this example preserves some traces of the many colors that once adorned its surface. While these pigments often do not survive, here we can still see traces of red on Alexander’s lips and eyes. A significant amount of gold leaf is also preserved in Alexander’s hair and around his left eye, suggesting that this bust was also gilded to convey his power and almost-divine charisma.","remarks":"MED2_22_CLA.pdf – Day One Cataloguing"}],"media":[{"id":19042,"uri":"https://media.artmuseum.princeton.edu/iiif/3/collection/2008-330","isprimary":1,"rank":1,"mediatypeid":1,"mediaviewtype":"(not assigned)","restrictions":null,"caption":"Bruce White Photography"},{"id":19043,"uri":"https://media.artmuseum.princeton.edu/iiif/3/collection/2008-330_2","isprimary":0,"rank":2,"mediatypeid":1,"mediaviewtype":"(not assigned)","restrictions":null,"caption":"Bruce White Photography"},{"id":19044,"uri":"https://media.artmuseum.princeton.edu/iiif/3/collection/2008-330_3","isprimary":0,"rank":4,"mediatypeid":1,"mediaviewtype":"(not assigned)","restrictions":null,"caption":"Bruce White Photography"},{"id":19045,"uri":"https://media.artmuseum.princeton.edu/iiif/3/collection/2008-330_LFT","isprimary":0,"rank":6,"mediatypeid":1,"mediaviewtype":"(not assigned)","restrictions":null,"caption":"Bruce White Photography"},{"id":22937,"uri":"https://media.artmuseum.princeton.edu/iiif/3/collection/2008-330_k","isprimary":0,"rank":11,"mediatypeid":1,"mediaviewtype":"(not assigned)","restrictions":null,"caption":"Bruce White Photography"},{"id":22938,"uri":"https://media.artmuseum.princeton.edu/iiif/3/collection/2008-330_l","isprimary":0,"rank":12,"mediatypeid":1,"mediaviewtype":"(not assigned)","restrictions":null,"caption":"Bruce White Photography"},{"id":22939,"uri":"https://media.artmuseum.princeton.edu/iiif/3/collection/2008-330_m","isprimary":0,"rank":13,"mediatypeid":1,"mediaviewtype":"(not assigned)","restrictions":null,"caption":"Bruce White Photography"},{"id":22940,"uri":"https://media.artmuseum.princeton.edu/iiif/3/collection/2008-330_n","isprimary":0,"rank":14,"mediatypeid":1,"mediaviewtype":"(not assigned)","restrictions":null,"caption":"Bruce White Photography"},{"id":22941,"uri":"https://media.artmuseum.princeton.edu/iiif/3/collection/2008-330_h","isprimary":0,"rank":9,"mediatypeid":1,"mediaviewtype":"(not assigned)","restrictions":null,"caption":"Bruce White Photography"},{"id":22943,"uri":"https://media.artmuseum.princeton.edu/iiif/3/collection/2008-330_j","isprimary":0,"rank":10,"mediatypeid":1,"mediaviewtype":"(not assigned)","restrictions":null,"caption":"Bruce White Photography"},{"id":22944,"uri":"https://media.artmuseum.princeton.edu/iiif/3/collection/2008-330_b","isprimary":0,"rank":3,"mediatypeid":1,"mediaviewtype":"(not assigned)","restrictions":null,"caption":"Bruce White Photography"},{"id":22945,"uri":"https://media.artmuseum.princeton.edu/iiif/3/collection/2008-330_c","isprimary":0,"rank":5,"mediatypeid":1,"mediaviewtype":"(not assigned)","restrictions":null,"caption":"Bruce White Photography"},{"id":22946,"uri":"https://media.artmuseum.princeton.edu/iiif/3/collection/2008-330_d","isprimary":0,"rank":15,"mediatypeid":1,"mediaviewtype":"(not assigned)","restrictions":null,"caption":"Bruce White Photography"},{"id":22947,"uri":"https://media.artmuseum.princeton.edu/iiif/3/collection/2008-330_e","isprimary":0,"rank":7,"mediatypeid":1,"mediaviewtype":"(not assigned)","restrictions":null,"caption":"Bruce White Photography"}],"hasimage":"true","bibliography":[{"boilertext":"Robert Steven Bianchi, \"The Princeton Portrait of Alexander the Great,\"&nbsp;<EM>Record of the Princeton University Art Museum</EM> 69 (2010): p.&nbsp;22-29.","citation":"Robert Steven Bianchi, \"The Princeton Portrait of Alexander the Great,\"&nbsp;<EM>Record of the Princeton University Art Museum</EM> 69 (2010): p.&nbsp;22-29., p. 22, fig. 1; p. 24, fig. 2; p. 25, figs. 3-6","date":2010,"id":1250,"uri":"https://www.jstor.org/stable/i40081953"},{"boilertext":"Anna Barbara Follmann, et. al., <EM>Antiken aus Rheinischem Privatbesitz</EM>, (Köln: Rheinland-Verlag, 1973). ","citation":"Anna Barbara Follmann, et. al., <EM>Antiken aus Rheinischem Privatbesitz</EM>, (Köln: Rheinland-Verlag, 1973). , p. 211-213; no. 352; pl. 159","date":1973,"id":7036,"uri":"https://search.worldcat.org/title/905636521"},{"boilertext":"<EM>Fine antiquities: auction, Tuesday 18 October 2005 at 11.00 am and 2.30 pm, King Street, London</EM>, (London: Christie's, 2005). ","citation":"<EM>Fine antiquities: auction, Tuesday 18 October 2005 at 11.00 am and 2.30 pm, King Street, London</EM>, (London: Christie's, 2005). , lot 41","date":2005,"id":7037,"uri":"https://search.worldcat.org/title/493446187"},{"boilertext":"Martin Clist, <EM>In our own image: gods and mortals in ancient art</EM>, (London: Rupert Wace Ancient Art, 2008). ","citation":"Martin Clist, <EM>In our own image: gods and mortals in ancient art</EM>, (London: Rupert Wace Ancient Art, 2008). , no. 13","date":2008,"id":7039,"uri":"https://search.worldcat.org/title/717640449"},{"boilertext":"Rosie Razzall, \"Museum acquisitions in 2008\", <EM>Apollo</EM> 168, no. 562 (Dec. 1, 2008): p. 44-53.","citation":"Rosie Razzall, \"Museum acquisitions in 2008\", <EM>Apollo</EM> 168, no. 562 (Dec. 1, 2008): p. 44-53., p. 44; p. 45 (color illus.);","date":2008,"id":7041,"uri":"https://search.worldcat.org/title/974178348"},{"boilertext":"\"Acquisitions of the Princeton University Art Museum 2008,\"&nbsp;<em>Record of the Princeton University Art Museum</em> 68 (2009): p. 69-119.","citation":"\"Acquisitions of the Princeton University Art Museum 2008,\"&nbsp;<em>Record of the Princeton University Art Museum</em> 68 (2009): p. 69-119., p. 116; p. 117 (illus.)","date":2009,"id":974,"uri":"https://www.jstor.org/stable/25747109"},{"boilertext":"Paul Arndt, Walther Amelung,&nbsp;and Georg Lippold,&nbsp;<EM>Photographische Einzelaufnahmen antiker Sculpturen, </EM>(München: Bruckmann, 1893-1947?). ","citation":"Paul Arndt, Walther Amelung,&nbsp;and Georg Lippold,&nbsp;<EM>Photographische Einzelaufnahmen antiker Sculpturen, </EM>(München: Bruckmann, 1893-1947?). , Serie 14A: nos. 3902-3903","date":1893,"id":1925,"uri":"https://search.worldcat.org/title/604152805"}],"exhibitions":[],"geography":[{"displaygeography":"Place excavated: Africa, Egypt, possibly Hermopolis","code":"Place excavated","continent":"Africa","subcontinent":null,"country":"Egypt","region":null,"state":null,"city":null,"county":null,"subregion":null,"locale":"possibly Hermopolis","locus":null,"river":null,"excavation":null,"geoname":"http://www.geonames.org/maps/google_27.781_30.804.html","location":{"lat":"","lon":""}}],"terms":[{"id":2054791,"term":"sculpture","aatid":300047090,"termtype":"Classification"},{"id":2055723,"term":"portraits","aatid":300015637,"termtype":"Subject"},{"id":2037078,"term":"Ptolemaic","aatid":300020432,"termtype":"Period / Style"},{"id":2158086,"term":"heads","aatid":null,"termtype":"Subject"},{"id":2089201,"term":"kings (people)","aatid":300025481,"termtype":"Subject"},{"id":2088270,"term":"men","aatid":300025928,"termtype":"Subject"},{"id":2036451,"term":"Greek","aatid":300020072,"termtype":"Culture"},{"id":2163691,"term":"white marble","aatid":300011571,"termtype":"Materials"}],"classifications":[{"id":2054791,"classification":"sculpture"}],"cultures":[{"id":15181,"culture":"Egyptian","alphasort":"Egyptian","begindate":-3000,"enddate":395,"displayculture":"Egyptian","displaydate":null}],"cultureterms":[{"id":2036451,"culture":"Greek"}],"periods":[{"id":12865,"period":"Hellenistic Period","alphasort":"Hellenistic Period","begindate":-323,"enddate":-30,"displayperiod":"Hellenistic Period, Ptolemaic Period, ca. 304–30 BCE, ca. 323–30 BCE","displaydate":"ca. 323–30 BCE"}],"periodterms":[{"id":2037078,"period":"Ptolemaic"}],"attribute_groups":[{"id":2199316,"term":"Ancient Mediterranean Art","termtype":"Collecting Area"}],"dimensionelements":[{"element":"Overall","type":"Height","units":"centimeters","dimension":"18.41"},{"element":"Overall","type":"Width","units":"centimeters","dimension":"14.70"},{"element":"Overall","type":"Depth","units":"centimeters","dimension":"15.70"},{"element":"base","type":"Height","units":"centimeters","dimension":"9.36"},{"element":"base","type":"Width","units":"centimeters","dimension":"9.60"},{"element":"base","type":"Depth","units":"centimeters","dimension":"9.60"}],"packages":[{"packageid":181973,"name":"web_2020_Ancient"},{"packageid":182063,"name":"web_2020_ancient_greek"},{"packageid":267508,"name":"Web_CA_2025_AncientMediterranean"},{"packageid":234201,"name":"PUAM_Light and Color"},{"packageid":278831,"name":"10282025-DAY1-ONVIEW"},{"packageid":192046,"name":"zPUAM_Expressing Culture_Ancient Greece"},{"packageid":185788,"name":"CRS_2020_ABI Highlights 2020"},{"packageid":193144,"name":"PUAM_Expressing Culture_Ancient Mediterranean"},{"packageid":220207,"name":"Gallery_22(Pavilion6)-AncientMed"},{"packageid":204035,"name":"Teaching Kit Reproductions 8 1/2 x 11"},{"packageid":207234,"name":"SAB_Gala2021"}],"primaryimage":["https://media.artmuseum.princeton.edu/iiif/3/collection/2008-330"],"displaymaker":null,"displayculture":"Egyptian","displayperiod":"Hellenistic Period, Ptolemaic Period, ca. 304–30 BCE, ca. 323–30 BCE","caption":"Egyptian, Hellenistic Period, Ptolemaic Period, ca. 304–30 BCE (ca. 323–30 BCE), Egypt, 3rd century BCE, Portrait of Alexander the Great. Fine-grained white marble, possibly Parian; 18.4 × 14.7 × 15.7 cm, 9.4 × 9.6 × 9.6 cm (base). Museum purchase, Fowler McCormick, Class of 1921, Fund (2008-330)","captionhtml":"Egyptian, Hellenistic Period, Ptolemaic Period, ca. 304–30 BCE (ca. 323–30 BCE), Egypt, 3rd century BCE, <i>Portrait of Alexander the Great</i>. Fine-grained white marble, possibly Parian; 18.4 × 14.7 × 15.7 cm, 9.4 × 9.6 × 9.6 cm (base). Museum purchase, Fowler McCormick, Class of 1921, Fund (2008-330)","published_date":"2026-02-11 12:10:50.205834","campusart":[{"campuscollections":"false","campusart":0,"neighborhood":null,"lat":null,"lon":null}],"extended_content":true}