The Battle of Alexander at Issus [SEP] collection
the Siege of Vienna may have been an inspiration for Altdorfer. A religious undercurrent is detectable, especially in the extraordinary sky; this was probably inspired by the prophecies of Daniel and contemporary concern within the Church about an impending apocalypse. "The Battle of Alexander at Issus " and four others that were part of William's initial set are in the Alte Pinakothek art museum in Munich.
Subject matter.
Alexander III of Macedon (356–323 BC), best known as Alexander the Great, was an Ancient Greek king
member of the Regensburg council and a practising Catholic, Altdorfer frequently interacted with the Church and was surely aware of this trend of eschatological thought. Schedel, too, had calculated that the final age of the seven he identified was nigh. It may therefore be inferred that the sky's expression of the momentous event at Issus was intended to be of contemporary relevance as well.
Legacy.
"The Battle of Alexander at Issus" remained part of the royal collection of the Dukes of Bavaria for centuries. By the late