Apelles
Who was Apelles?
4th century BC Greek painter
Biographical data adapted from Wikipedia’s article on Apelles (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Biography
Apelles of Kos was a famous painter from ancient Greece, active in the 4th century BC. He was born in Ephesus around 369 BC and is often considered the greatest painter of that time. Pliny the Elder, who wrote about him centuries later, thought Apelles was better than any other artist before or after him. His fame came not only from his technical skill but also from his ability to portray his subjects with unmatched realism and grace.
Apelles became especially well-known as a court painter for Alexander the Great, creating many portraits of the king, admired for their lifelike quality. He was reportedly the only artist allowed to paint Alexander's portrait, highlighting both his exceptional talent and the trust he had from the royal court. His painting of Alexander holding a thunderbolt was considered a masterpiece, though none of his works have survived to today.
In addition to portraits, Apelles created religious and mythological paintings highly praised across Greece. His depiction of Aphrodite Anadyomene, showing the goddess emerging from the sea, was seen as his greatest work and later acquired by Emperor Augustus for display in Rome. This painting became a standard model for later artists depicting the goddess. He was also credited with technical innovations, such as creating a dark varnish that made colors more vibrant and protected the artwork.
Apelles was respected not only for his art but also for his professional behavior and interactions with other artists. Ancient sources depict him as generous in acknowledging the talents of his peers while maintaining high standards for his own work. He would display his paintings publicly and listen to feedback, though he once famously told a shoemaker not to critique beyond the sandals in a painting after the man commented on other details. Apelles died on the island of Kos around 305 BC, and his influence on art continued for centuries.
Before Fame
Apelles started his artistic training in Ephesus at a time when Greek art was moving from the classical traditions of the 5th century to the more individualistic and realistic styles that marked Hellenistic art. The 4th century BC was a time of significant political and cultural change in the Greek world, with the rise of Macedon under Philip II and later Alexander the Great giving artists new chances to work for powerful patrons beyond the traditional city-states.
To become prominent in this era, artists often apprenticed with established masters and slowly developed their own style and reputation. Apelles likely studied under Ephorus of Ephesus and later Pamphilus of Amphipolis, who stressed the mathematical foundations of art. His early career happened alongside Alexander's conquests, which led to a high demand for court artists skilled in documenting and glorifying military successes and royal power across the growing Macedonian empire.
Key Achievements
- Created the most celebrated portraits of Alexander the Great in antiquity
- Painted Aphrodite Anadyomene, considered his masterpiece and later owned by Emperor Augustus
- Developed innovative painting techniques including a protective dark varnish
- Served as exclusive court painter to Alexander the Great
- Established artistic standards and techniques that influenced painters for centuries
Did You Know?
- 01.He invented a special dark varnish called 'atramentum' that enhanced his paintings' colors and protected them from damage
- 02.Alexander the Great reportedly visited his workshop so frequently that Apelles fell in love with one of the king's mistresses, Campaspe, whom Alexander then gave to the painter
- 03.His unfinished painting of Aphrodite was left incomplete at his death, and no other artist dared attempt to finish it
- 04.He once corrected a mistake in a painting after overhearing a cobbler's criticism, leading to the famous phrase 'cobbler, stick to your last'
- 05.His painting of Alexander holding a thunderbolt was said to make the fingers appear to project from the surface