Appeals
Apelles was one of the most beloved and famous painters of the Ancient Ages. He was born in Colophon, in the year 352 a. c.; and died in Cos in 308 BC. c.
Biography
It was thought, based on the writings of Ovid and Pliny the Elder, that he would have been born in Cos in the year 352 B.C. C., although according to Strabo he was from Ephesus and, according to the Suda, he would have been born in Colophon. He was a disciple of the artist Pamphilus from Amphipolis in Sicyon. Apelles was the painter chosen by Alexander the Great to perpetuate his image. Alejandro was aware of the propaganda power that art can have and knew very well how to control the reproduction of his effigy, the realization of which he authorized only three artists: a sculptor, a goldsmith and a painter. Alejandro's biographers say that he had great appreciation for the painter and that he frequently visited his workshop and submitted to his demands.
Ancient sources contain various legends surrounding this painter. Pliny the Elder says that Alexander, seeing a portrait of his favorite concubine, Campaspe, understood that Apelles was in love with him. Instead of getting angry, the impetuous character of Alexander is already known, the king offered his companion to the painter. Alexander, who considered himself to be a god, so esteemed Apelles and his art that he endured several annoying comments from the latter. It is said that Apelles, for example, made Alexander understand that he was talking about painting without knowledge and told him that he made even the helpers who prepared his colors laugh. This scene was represented in an engraving by Salvator Rosa.
Works
Lost, his works are known only by literary descriptions. However, although not one of his works has survived from Apelles, his production, style and technique are perfectly known through literary references with masterful descriptions that served as a study and inspiration for Renaissance artists. These lost works included portraits of Philip II of Macedon, his son Alexander the Great, Alexander's generals, works with mythological themes, allegories such as those of Aphrodite (Venus Anadiomena) and on ignorance, suspicion, envy, etc. Other attributed works are Artemis with a Chorus of Virgins and Alexander's Triumph.
His most famous work is undoubtedly Calumny, thanks to Luciano's description of Samósata, which would influence other artists over the centuries, such as Botticelli (The calumny of Apelles) and Albrecht Dürer who tried, each in their own way, to repaint this allegory based on that description. An apocryphal story emerged according to which The calumny would be based on an experience of Apelles himself, who would have been accused by a rival painter, Antiphilos, of promoting a revolt in the city of Tire against Ptolemy. IV Filopator, proving his innocence just before being executed. However, this autobiographical version cannot be true since Apelles had died almost a century before the aforementioned revolt.
Style
It was said of Apelles in his time that he had the gift of grace (χάρις), the same thing that was said centuries later of Raphael of Urbino, the Italian painter of the Cinquecento. His paintings had a special shine that he achieved through atramentum , which was a layer of black varnish that he spread over them.
Myth
They also tell of Apelles that he was quite receptive and open to constructive criticism. According to Pliny the Elder, on one occasion a shoemaker noticed a mistake made by the painter in the shoes of a figure in a painting and criticized it. Hearing this, Apelles immediately corrected him. The shoemaker, puffed up, made another observation about the legs, to which the artist replied: «Ne supra crepidam sutor judicaret», that is, «The shoemaker should not judge above sandals», a phrase that has been reduced to the Spanish saying: «Zapatero, to your shoes».
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