Apelles is one of the most fascinating artists of the ancient world. A Greek painter of the fourth century BC, he was not merely a celebrated master of his craft but won the highest recognition of all in the person of Alexander the Great, who invited him to become his court painter. It was in these years that Apelles produced the masterpieces which ancient authors judged the greatest works of ancient art.
The most famous of them is the "Aphrodite Anadyomene," also known as "The Birth of Venus from the Foam." The picture was renowned throughout the ancient world, an object of admiration and of imitation for many painters. Sadly, not a single work by Apelles has survived to our day; yet his influence on the history of art is immense. His paintings were famed for their beauty, their harmony, and their depth, and they inspired artists across the centuries.
Apelles's ideas, and his contribution to culture, were of great weight. He was a master of conveying emotion and mood through his pictures, and his works were suffused with a deep sense of humanity. He was known, too, for an innovative approach to his art: he experimented with new techniques and materials, and his work was distinguished by the highest level of craftsmanship. His influence on the development of art was enormous, and he became a model for the many painters who followed him.
His life was not without its difficulties and its paradoxes. For all his tremendous success and renown, Apelles was known for his modesty and simplicity. He was known also for his sense of humor, and for a capacity not to take himself too seriously — a rare quality in an artist surrounded by fame and acclaim. Of his private life we regrettably know little, but his works speak of a man of deep feeling and high culture.
Apelles matters today because his art and his ideas continue to inspire artists and lovers of art. His influence on the history of art is immense, and his works remain a subject of study and of admiration. His approach to art, his inventiveness, and his mastery remain a model for many artists, and his creations stand among the most beautiful and profound in the history of art. Though the works themselves have not survived, his legacy lives on, and his name remains among the most celebrated in the history of art.