3-095-153 - Heritage Art/Heritage Images

Apelles Paints Campaspa, 1713. According to tradition, Alexander the Great's mistress Campaspe was painted by Apelles, who had the reputation in antiquity for being the greatest of painters. Pliny: "Seeing the beauty of the nude portrait, Alexander saw that the artist appreciated Campaspe (and loved her) more than he. And so Alexander kept the portrait, but presented Campaspe to Apelles." We are not told what Campaspe thought about the arrangement.