Alexander the Great Taming Bucephalus

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Alexander the Great Taming Bucephalus
Benjamin Robert Haydon (1786-1846) - Alexander the Great (356-323 BC), Taming Bucephalus - 485149 - National Trust.jpg
Artist Benjamin Robert Haydon
Year1826
Type Oil on canvas, history painting
Dimensions153 cm× 193 cm(60 in× 76 in)
Location Petworth House, Sussex

Alexander the Great Taming Bucephalus is an oil on canvas history painting by the British artist Benjamin Robert Haydon, from 1826. [1] [2]

Contents

History and description

It depicts a scene from ancient history when Alexander the Great tamed his famous warhorse Bucephalus. On the right of the picture are Alexander's father Philip II of Macedon and mother Olympias.

It was purchased by the art collector Lord Egremont for his country estate Petworth House. He received 500 guineas for the work. [3] In order to depict Bucephalus, Haydon originally tried to draw inspiration from equestrian works by George Stubbs. When this was unsuccessful, Egremont arranged for him to have access to the Household Cavalry's riding school. [4]

It was displayed at the Royal Academy's Summer Exhibition at Somerset House in 1827. Critical reception was discouraging for Haydon with The Morning Post calling it "ill-grouped, ill-drawn, ill-coloured and exrtemely vulgar" although The Times praised its "good colouring and bold drawing". [5] Today it is in the collection of the National Trust at Petworth House. [6]

References

  1. Brown, Woof & Hebron p.141
  2. O'Keeffe p 247
  3. O'Keeffe p.249
  4. O'Keefe p.249
  5. O'Keeffe p.254
  6. National Trust Collections

Bibliography