Alexander and Diogenes by Paride Pascucci

In 1891, the competition presented a theme inspired by ancient Greece, specifically an episode recounted by Plutarch: the cynic Diogenes, when asked by the powerful Alexander the Great if he could fulfill any wish, simply responded by asking him to step aside so he wouldn’t block his sunlight. This is a profound philosophical lesson: true happiness does not lie in material wealth but in the freedom of the spirit. The artist rendered the scene with intensely bright, almost blinding colors, emphasizing the contrast between the sunlight and Alexander’s shadow, which falls upon the aged Diogenes.