s Alexander the Great Slaying his General Cleitus - Hull Museums Collections

Alexander the Great Slaying his General Cleitus

Alexander slaying Cleitus is a rare example of a Dutch mythological painting - landscapes and genre scenes being much more popular. This dramatic scene is also an unusual example of a de Blieck’s work, most of which is church interiors. This imaginary scene of classical architecture is more reminiscent of Italy than Holland, the only Dutch element being the still-life to the left in the foreground. The actual story of the brutal murder by Alexander the Great of his general Cleitus is secondary to the sweeping arches and soaring colonnades of this architectural fantasy.