Battle of Issus by Albrecht Altdorfer

Exhibited at Alte Pinakothek, Munich, 1529
credit here

Opinion: The Battle of Issus reminds me of one of my favorite films- Lord of the Rings. The massive number of soldiers resembles the ork army with their torches and flags. In the background, the sun looks like the Eye of Syron and the mountains the land of Mordor. The entire setting of the painting seems to be more like Middle Earth than an actual historical place.  

Theory: The Battle of Issus was made during the Reformation by Albrecht Altdorfer and depicts the historical defeat of Darius in 333 B.C. by Alexander the Great at a town called Issus on the Pinarus River. There is an ulterior motive to paint the scene because it became a northern piece of propaganda that the German leader could use as a symbol of victor. Particularly interesting is that the movement of the soldiers is mirrored in the sky, insinuating that the soldiers are so powerful, they’re a force of nature. The minute detail in the army, the landscape, and the sky are characteristic of northern european (Gardner, Page 703).