pothos.org

I recently found a book on Macedonia which contains the small ivory busts of Philip, Olympia, and Alexander. There is a remarkable resemblance between the profile of the bust of Alexander and a portrait by Charles le Brun of King Louis XIV. I know that the tomb was only discovered in our century, so the coincidence of the two profiles is one that can only suggest that the link between the two is Charles le Brun. In a book on the Ages of Kings is a portrait of le Brun's painting of Alexander entering Babylon, and the portrait of Alexander bears a marked resemblance to that of King Louis XIV, noticeably changed in recent presentations of that same portrait on the covers of books on Alexander, Lewis V. Cummings, and others.While these two likenesses of two different kings is very fascinating to me personally, I do consider that the real truth is that it reveals the style of the artist, both probably having been accomplished by the same artist. Amazing but true! He left his own fingerprint.

Lordy, where are my manners? The portrait of King Louis XIV can be found on page 59 of Nancy Mitford's book The Sun King. The ivory bust is featured full face in NGL Hammond's The Genius of Alexander, and in profile in a book called Macedonia.

...is the Sun King referring to Alexander or Louie IV, or someone else?
later Nicator