Artwork
Hector of Troy, Alexander the Great and Julius Caesar
Hector of Troy, Alexander the Great and Julius Caesar is an ink drawing by the Renaissance artist Primary Master of the Strassburg Chronicle. It dates from 1492 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1492, this drawing depicts three historic figures—Hector of Troy, Alexander the Great, and Julius Caesar—rendered in pen and black ink atop faint black chalk underdrawings on laid paper. The surface bears a ruled grid made with leadpoint, indicating a structured compositional approach typical of late‑medieval manuscript practices.
Technique & Style
The artist employed a combination of charcoal‑like chalk for initial modeling, later refined with precise pen work. The ink lines vary in thickness, suggesting a controlled hand, while the underlying chalk traces reveal a preparatory stage. The laid paper’s texture contributes subtle tonal variation, enhancing the figure’s delineation without resorting to shading.
History & Provenance
Attributed to the Primary Master of the Strassburg Chronicle, the drawing reflects the workshop’s engagement with classical subjects during the transition to the Renaissance. Its creation date of 1492 places it within the late Gothic period in Alsace, and the piece has remained documented as part of the chronicle’s illustrative program, though its later ownership record is limited.
Artist & collection
Artist
Primary Master of the Strassburg Chronicle
Primary Master of the Strassburg Chronicle (1492–1493) was an artist.
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