MORTLAKE
The meeting between Alexander the Great and Diogenes
1682-83RCIN 27903
One panel from a series of Mortlake tapestries depicting the life of Diogenes, illustrating the meeting between Diogenes and Alexander the Great. Diogenes is seated at the mouth of the barrel in which he lived, in a rocky landscape with classical ruins. To his right stands Alexander, wearing breastplate and helmet, with attendants. After a design by Salvator Rosa. One of a set of five panels from this series in the Royal Collection.
Sets at Weald Hall (with borders by Clein) and at Belton House follow the same design. The present set is likely to have been the first, Mortlake, weaving of which later sets were copies.