Alexander the Great

myminifactory

From the British Museum Scanned by Cosmo Wenman. For more photos, descriptions of my reinventions, and info, visit http://cosmowenman.com Hellenistic Greek, 2nd-1st century BC This youthful image of the conqueror king is said to be from Alexandria, Egypt You can see it in its original form at the British Museum, scanned by Cosmo Wenman August 2012 using AutoDesk 123D Catch Edited for printing using Blender and Netfabb Studio Basic Printed life size in PLA on a MakerBot Replicator Finished in Lost Bronze, Firenze, and Wrecked Iron with Alternate Reality Patinas http://www.alternaterealitypatinas.com Model published into the public domain October 2012 I created these pieces to show that with the right finishes and attention to detail, 3D printers can produce objects of art worthy of display Not just miniature figurines or practical household objects They can do more than evoke an object, they can be objects of desire I chose these subjects to advance a different idea; that with 3D scanning and printing, private collectors and museums have the opportunity to recast themselves as living engines of cultural creation They can digitize their collections and project them outward into the public realm to be adapted, multiplied, and remixed The world's back catalog of art should be set free to run wild in our visual landscape Whether it turns up lit on screens or rematerialized in homes, it's all to the good For forward-thinking institutions and collectors, there's prestige, money, value, meaning, and beauty to be made From the British Museum Alexander (reigned 336-323 BC) chose only a few artists to produce his image Famous names such as Lysippos and Apelles were associated with his portraiture Though none of these images have been recovered, many sculptures survive in different materials and portraits on gemstones and coins These follow similar characteristics but vary in style Alexander was always shown clean-shaven This was an innovation: all previous Greek statesmen or rulers had beards This royal fashion lasted for almost five hundred years and most Hellenistic kings and Roman emperors until Hadrian were portrayed beardless Alexander wore the all-important royal diadem, a band of cloth tied around his hair that became the symbol of Hellenistic kingship Earlier portraits of Alexander look more mature than those made after his death This example shows a youthful character with longer hair, a dynamic head tilt and upward gaze resembling literary descriptions This head was acquired in Alexandria, founded by Alexander in 331 BC The location of his tomb, it was also the capital of the longest surviving Hellenistic dynasty, the Ptolemies From the time of Ptolemy I Soter ('Saviour') (305-282 BC), Alexander was worshipped as a god and forefather of the dynasty http://www.britishmuseum.org/explore/highlights/highlight_objects/gr/m/portrait_alexander_the_great.aspx