Hercules en personificatie van Geschiedenis 1651

This etching by Pieter de (II) Jode depicts Hercules, a figure from Roman mythology, standing next to the personification of History. Hercules leans on a staff and is adorned with a loincloth, while History wears a flowing robe and holds a scepter and a chain. The two figures flank a globe mounted on a pillar, which represents the world. The globe is surrounded by instruments of war and the inscription "Theatrum Principum," indicating that the scene is a theater of rulers. The etching is a powerful allegory of the role of history in shaping the world, and it reflects the interest in historical figures and events that was common in 17th-century Europe. The inscription "Europa" appears on a shield at the base of the pillar, and the words "Nobilitas" and "Virtus Augg" appear on either side. The etching, completed in 1651, reflects the classical and historical interests of the Baroque period.