MOSAIC OF THE VICTORY OF ALEXANDER THE GREAT
Language: English / USA
Some examples of this type of "stone painting" can be seen in Pompeii, especially in the House of the Faun, which has given us many panels and a large work, the famous mosaic that depicts the Victory of Alexander the Great in the Battle of Issus.
One thing that is certain is that this mosaic was made in the first century BC; this is the only representation of the battle and it's more than five meters wide and consists of about four million limestone tiles. Although it is a Roman copy, and was made to be placed on a floor, this mosaic helps you understand what a great Greek mural painting probably looked like.
The dramatic battle culminates in the panicked expression of the Persian King Darius, with wide-open, incredulous eyes. Alexander, depicted in profile, attacks him with overwhelming impetus while his entire army strays about. The figures' state of mind can be seen through a series of ingenious depictions: Dario's desire to escape is indicated by the motion of the spears, which however scatter, while his charioteer is already desperate and wildly whips the horses to escape.
