Alexander the Great: The iconography of the myth in Italy and artworks from Macedonian collections

29 May 2008 - 31 Dec 2009

The exhibition is a cooperation with the Italian Cultural Institute, a poster exhibition organised by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and travelled in many European countries.

All artwork referring to Alexander after his death in Italy were collected, presenting the mythology created around his name in the years that followed and the result was an innovative exhibition, whose last stop was Thessaloniki.

The main Macedonian museum, A.M.Th. we thought that the interesting poster exhibition would be enriched if accompanied by original ancient artefacts that date to the era of Alexander or shortly afterwards. Hence, in collaboration with other ephorates of antiquities in Macedonia, other important archaeological finds were added, such as a 'sarissa' (Macedonian spear) from Emathia, a bronze shield from Vegora near Florina etc. The exhibition was accompanied by an English-Italian catalogue, kindly offered by the Italian side, while a conference was organised with Greek and Foreign experts on Alexander and his life. Of course, the multifaceted and varied personality and activity of the Macedonian general cannot be fully contained in a single exhibition. However, this particular exhibition offered a rather unknown and interesting aspect of his influence.

As a symbolic gesture, the entire poster exhibition was donated by the Italian Cultural Institute of Thessaloniki, to the municipality of Pella, the birthplace of Alexander the Great.