Alexander the Great before the Tomb of Achilles

The two paintings (Allegory of Time; Alexander the Great before the Tomb of Achilles), similar in size, were probably originally part of a larger cycle, to which a third canvas of Saul and Endor the Magus also must have belonged. These complicated subjects are not always readily comprehensible to modern scholars.

The clear and subtle colours, the vibrant and nervous brushstrokes, and the strong, direct light render his figures evanescent and almost unstable. These elegant and elongated figures, derived from the engravings of Callot, are placed in strongly classical settings that are similar to contemporary theatrical scenes.