Follower of Pietro da Cortona, Italian 1596-1669- The Rape of the Sabine Women; and Alexander the Great receiving the family of Darius; each oil on canvas fragment, each bears ink stamp for the National Gallery of Prague 'Narodni Galerie, vývoz' ('National Gallery, export') verso, the first 60 x 47.5 cm., the second 59.5 x 47 cm., two (2)., (both unframed). Provenance: Private Collection, UK. Note: Several of the figure groups in the first composition, 'The Rape of the Sabines', appear to have been inspired by Pietro da Cortona’s rendition of the subject, which is in the collection of the Pinacoteca Capitolina, Rome [no.PC 137]. Throughout his career, da Cortona also painted several scenes from the life of Alexander the Great, illustrating the historical subject’s popularity with the artist, his followers, and their patrons. The scene here, with the family of Darius before the tent of Alexander, also features in a fresco cycle painted by da Cortona and his pupils at the Palazzo Pitti, Florence.