Apelles Painting Campaspe in the Presence of Alexander the Great

David's Apelles Painting Campaspe in the Presence of Alexander of 1814 depicts the legendary account of the great Macedonian king commissioning his court painter Apelles to portray his favorite concubine, then giving her to the painter when he fell in love with her. The subject meditates on the relationship between artistic genius and political power — Alexander's magnanimity toward the artist who stole his lover suggesting the ideal relationship of enlightened patronage. David painted the scene with exceptional technical brilliance, particularly the reflections in Campaspe's wet skin.

The smooth, polished paint surface and careful arrangement of classical architecture and drapery demonstrate David's lifelong Neo-classical discipline. The three figures are arranged with theatrical clarity in a shallow, stage-like space.