Hercules c. 1499

Albrecht Dürer's "Hercules" (c. 1499), a masterful engraving, depicts the Greek hero struggling with the Nemean Lion, a fearsome beast with impenetrable fur. The composition, with its intricate details and dramatic interplay of figures, showcases Dürer's mastery of the medium. Hercules' muscular physique and the lion's fierce expression are rendered with remarkable precision, emphasizing the intensity of the struggle. The surrounding landscape, with its meticulously depicted trees and distant buildings, provides a sense of grandeur and scale. This engraving, a prime example of Northern Renaissance art, reflects Dürer's interest in classical mythology and his technical virtuosity.