Alexandros Ypsilantis crosses the river Pruth into the Danubian Principalities
Item Data
Creator
Peter von Hess
Date
19th century
Item Source
Benaki Museum, Athens
Description
This painting by Peter von Hess shows Alexandros Ypsilantis (Greek: Αλέξανδρος Υψηλάντης), a Greek officer in the tsar’s army, crossing the river Pruth with his men to enter the Ottomans’ Danubian Principalities in February 1821. He is depicted wearing the all-black dress of his revolutionary army, the Sacred Band (Greek: Ἱερὸς Λόχος), and carrying the unit’s flag as he steps off of a canoe and onto the land.
