Alexander de Grote neemt de stad Petra in 1633 - 1692

Cornelis Bloemaert created this print, Alexander the Great Takes the City of Petra, in the Netherlands sometime in the 17th century. In it we see Alexander the Great in the foreground, directing his troops to capture the city of Petra which sits atop a mountain behind them. Bloemaert was one of many Netherlandish artists who made prints after paintings. This one, like many others of its era, valorizes military might and imperial conquest. Petra is constructed as an almost insurmountable natural fortress, but Bloemaert shows how ingenuity and force can overcome any barrier. It may also speak to contemporary concerns with the Dutch Republic's own military power and colonial holdings. The Rijksmuseum keeps prints and drawings like this, making them available to researchers interested in mapping the circulation of images and the development of Netherlandish national identity. These kinds of resources help us to understand not only the artistic achievement, but also the cultural and historical context of its production.