Alexander and Diogenes

Alexander and Diogenes from around 1822 by John Martin depicts the famous encounter between the Macedonian conqueror and the Cynic philosopher. The contrast between worldly power and philosophical independence was a popular subject in Romantic-era painting. Martin's technique involved meticulous architectural planning of his vast compositional schemes, using perspective rulers and careful underdrawing before building up his luminous skies with thin glazes of oil color.

The composition contrasts the architectural grandeur of Alexander's world with the philosopher's simplicity, rendered in Martin's dramatic manner.