1st MuseClassic history and fine arts

Since 1995 · Archive edition

1st Muse

Classic history and fine arts. An illustrated project on the life of Alexander the Great, the Telephos frieze of the Pergamon Altar and an album of ancient portraits, first published on this site between 1996 and 2006.

Portrait head of Alexander, Louvre, from the 1st Muse album
Room I

Alexander the Great

From history to eternity: an illustrated synopsis in two parts and twenty-three readings from Plutarch and other ancient sources.

Telephos frieze panel: Herakles at the court of King Aleos at Tegea
Room II

The Pergamon Altar

The Telephos frieze shown at Palazzo Ruspoli in Rome in 1996-97, the interactive catalogue on CD-ROM and the exhibition credits.

Portrait of Alexander from the 1st Muse album
Room III

Portraits of Alexander

An album of ancient portraits of Alexander in museums from Istanbul and Paris to London, Munich and Rome.

About 1st Muse

1st Muse began in 1995 as the web studio of John J. Popovic in Rome, with the motto "web services powered by art". Its lasting work was a set of multimedia projects on the ancient world, made alongside CD-ROMs for exhibitions at Fondazione Memmo.

This archive edition keeps those pages: the same chapters, the same text and the same order, now in a design that is easier to read on a phone or a large screen.

John J. Popovic · Credits · Begin reading Part One