Hendrik Goltzius, “Alexander and Bucephalus (Quirinal)”, 1590-1591, Red Chalk on Paper, Teylers Museum, Haarlem, Netherlands
Hendrik Goltzius made a long-awated journey to italy in 1590 when he was in his early thirties and already an established significant Dutch artist. He wanted to create a series of engravings of classical works like his Farnese Hercules. This is one of his original Roman drawings for the engravings that were acquired by Queen Christiana of Sweden and given later to the Teylers Museum in Haarlem.
Bucephalus, (ox-head in Greek), was Alexander the Great’s massive horse, one of the most famous horses in antiquity. The horse died from fatal injuries at the Battle of the Hydaspes in June 326 BCC in which Alexander’s army defeated King Porus of the now Punjab region of India.