Empire Builder Collection

Napoleon, (1769-1821), c1894-95, (1936). Creator: James Sant
Napoleon, (1769-1821), c1894-95, (1936). Last portrait of Napoleon Bonaparte (1769-1821) commissioned to James Sant (1820-1916)

The Rhodes Colossus, 1892 Artist: Edward Linley Sambourne
The Rhodes Colossus, 1892. Cecil Rhodes (1853-1902), English-born South African businessman and statesman, shown striding across Africa from Cape Town to Cairo with a telegraph wire

Napoleon, (1769-1821), 1830. Creator: Unknown
Napoleon, (1769-1821), 1830. Napoleon Bonaparte (1769-1821) French statesman and military leader of Italian descent who rose to prominence during the French Revolution

Peter the Great, (1672-1725), 1830. Creator: Unknown
Peter the Great, (1672-1725), 1830. Peter the Great (1672-1725) ruled the Tsardom of Russia and later the Russian Empire from 7 May 1682 until his death in 1725

The Right Honourable the Earl of Chatham seized with a Fit in the House of Peers, c1787
The Right Honourable the Earl of Chatham seized with a Fit in the House of Peers previous to his death, c1787. From A New

Alexander the Great of Macedonia, (1902). From Imhoof Blumers Portrait Heads on Coins of Hellenic Nations. In only 13 years

Cape to Cairo, 1899. Artist: John Tenniel
Cape to Cairo, 1899. Cecil Rhodes asking the German Emperor Wilhelm II for permission for the Cape to Cairo telegraph line to be laid across German territories in Africa

Trajan, (53-117), 1830. Creator: Unknown
Trajan, (53-117), 1830. Trajan (53-117) Roman emperor 98-117 remembered for the greatest military expansion in Roman history, philanthropy

Peter the Great, c1710-1720, (1890). Creator: Unknown
Peter the Great, c1710-1720, (1890). Peter the Great (1672-1725) Russian Tsar who replaced traditional and medieval practices with more modern, scientific

Mohammed II Encouraging His Seamen, 1890. Creator: Unknown
Mohammed II Encouraging His Seamen, 1890. Mehmed the Conqueror (1432-1481) Otoman Sultan described as the lord of the two lands and two seas (the Aegean and Black seas)

Map Illustrating the Campaigns and Marches of Alexander the Great, 1890. Creator: Unknown
Map Illustrating the Campaigns and Marches of Alexander the Great, 1890. Alexander III of Macedon (356-323 BC) spent most of his ruling years on an unprecedented military campaign through Asia

The Last Days of Napoleon, c1821, (1866), (1896). A dying and disillusioned Napoleon Bonaparte (1769-1821), dethroned and in exile

Napoleon and Alexander at Tilsit Studying The Map of Europe, 1807, (1896). On 7 July 7 1807, Napoleon Bonaparte (1769-1821) and Czar Alexander I (1777-1825) agreed to dismember Prussia

Genghis Khan, Mongol warrior and conqueror, (1780). Artist: Pierre Duflos
Genghis Khan, Mongol warrior and conqueror, (1780). Genghis Khan (c1162-1227) founded what would become the largest contiguous empire in history

Grave of Cecil Rhodes, British businessman and politician in Africa, Southern Rhodesia, 1924 (1927). A print from Cape to Cairo, by Stella Court Treatt, George G Harrap & Company Ltd, 1927

Otto von Bismark, 19th century German statesman, (1900). Artist: Loescher and Petsch
Otto von Bismark, 19th century German statesman, (1900). Prince Otto von Bismarck-Schonhausen, Duke of Lauenburg (1815-1898), was Chancellor of Prussia and architect of modern Germany

Cecil Rhodes, 19th century English-born South African statesman, c1905. Rhodes (1853-1902) made his fortune in the Kimberley diamond mines, and formed De Beers Consolidated Mines in 1888

Charles I, King of Sicily, Jerusalem, Albania and Naples. The ambitious French prince Charles of Anjou (1227-1285) conquered the Kingdom of Sicily from the Hohenstaufen dynasty in 1266

Otto von Bismark, German statesman, 1877. Artist: A von Werner
Otto von Bismark, German statesman, 1877. Prince Otto von Bismarck-Schonhausen, Duke of Lauenburg (1815-1898), was Chancellor of Prussia and architect of modern Germany

Entry of Alexander the Great into Babylon, 331 BC, (18th century). Artist: Johann Georg Platzer
Entry of Alexander the Great into Babylon, 331 BC, (18th century). The city of Babylon (now in modern-day Iraq) surrenders to Alexander the Great (356-323 BC)

Alexander the Great, Macedonian king and soldier. In only 13 years, Alexander III of Macedon (c356-323 BC) conquered a vast empire stretching from the Mediterranean to India

Cecil Rhodes, British-born South African, financier, statesman and empire builder, 1891. Artist: Spy
Cecil Rhodes, British-born South African, financier, statesman and empire builder, 1891. Rhodes (1853-1902) made his fortune in the Kimberley diamond mines

Alexander the Great (356-323 BC) on his deathbed, 1830. In only 13 years, Alexander III of Macedon conquered a vast empire stretching from the Mediterranean to India

Alexander the Great (356-323 BC) as a youth, listening to his tutor Aristotle, c1875. In only 13 years, Alexander III of Macedon conquered a vast empire stretching from the Mediterranean to India

Alexander the Great, (356-323 BC), c1873
Alexander the Great (356-323 BC), c336-c323 BC. In only 13 years, Alexander III of Macedon conquered a vast empire stretching from the Mediterranean to India

Alexander the Great, (356-323 BC), 1425
Alexander the Great (356-323 BC), c336-c323 BC. In only 13 years, Alexander III of Macedon conquered a vast empire stretching from the Mediterranean to India

Alexander the Great, (356-323 BC), c336-c323 BC
Alexander the Great (356-323 BC), c336-c323 BC. In only 13 years, Alexander III of Macedon conquered a vast empire stretching from the Mediterranean to India

Alexander the Great (356-323 BC). In only 13 years, Alexander III of Macedon conquered a vast empire stretching from the Mediterranean to India

Alexander the Great (356-323 BC), 3rd century BC. In only 13 years, Alexander III of Macedon conquered a vast empire stretching from the Mediterranean to India

Alexander the Great (356-323 BC), 1924. In only 13 years, Alexander III of Macedon conquered a vast empire stretching from the Mediterranean to India

Alexander the Great (356-323 BC), c1800
Alexander the Great (356-323 BC), 1800. Romanticised portrayal of Alexander in a plumed helmet. In only 13 years, Alexander III of Macedon conquered a vast empire stretching from the Mediterranean to

Cecil Rhodes, English-born South African entrepreneur and statesman, c1900. Portrayed in this painting riding on his estate, Groote Schuur

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"Empire Builder: Conquerors and Visionaries throughout History" Napoleon, the renowned military genius who reshaped Europe's map, depicted in a captivating portrait by James Sant in 1894-95. Edward Linley Sambourne's "The Rhodes Colossus" captures the ambition of Cecil Rhodes, an empire builder whose influence stretched across Africa in 1892. A mysterious portrayal of Napoleon from 1830 reminds us of his enduring legacy as a formidable leader and conqueror. The enigmatic Peter the Great, ruler of Russia during its transformation into a global power, immortalized in an unknown artist's work from 1830. Witness history unfold as "The Right Honourable the Earl of Chatham" suffers a fit during a crucial moment at the House of Peers around 1787. John Tenniel's artwork titled "Cape to Cairo" symbolizes the grand vision to connect these distant African points under British control in 1899. Claude Mellan's stunning title page for "Le Code Louis XIV" showcases France's Sun King and his efforts to centralize power through legal reforms in 1667. An unidentified artist presents Trajan, one of Rome's greatest emperors known for expanding its territories between AD 53-117, with remarkable detail from 1830. Explore Peter the Great once more through an unknown creator’s lens capturing his essence between c1710-1720 (circa late nineteenth century). Mohammed II inspires his seamen towards greatness as depicted by an anonymous artist in this striking piece from 1890. From Henry II’s reign captured by Charles Grignion’s artistry to Alexander the Great’s epic campaigns illustrated on an ancient map dating back to approximately AD 330 – these empire builders have left indelible marks on history that continue to fascinate and inspire.