Apelles

(flourished late 4th century–early 3rd century BC) Greek painter. He studied under Pamphilus and was court painter to Philip II of Macedonia and his son, Alexander the Great. Notable works included a portrait of Alexander, an allegorical picture of Calumny, and a painting of Aphrodite rising from the sea. A master of composition and chiaroscuro, he was noted for his technical improvements; he used a dark glaze to preserve his paintings and soften their colour. Though no copies of his works survive, in antiquity he was considered the greatest of Greek painters.