In the 17th century in the Netherlands, the trend for works depicting picture galleries or art studios began. Several different paintings and sculptural works of the earlier masters were placed on one painting and the collections of art patrons were presented.
Alexander the Great visits the studio of Apelles (Apelles' Workshop) is one of three paintings by Willem van Haecht belonging to the group of so-called paintings in a painting. The canvas depicts a genre scene where the Greek court artist Apelles paints a portrait of Alexander the Great's lover, Pankaspe. According to legend, Apelles fell in love with Pankaspe and Alexander gave it to him for the painted portrait. In the 17th century, Rubens was called Apelles of Antwerp. The artist and model are surrounded by men and women, among them Alexander himself.
