Bas-reliëf met Hercules en Omphale 1727

This small bas-relief of Hercules and Omphale was created by Matthijs Pool. The image is framed in an arch, and features classical figures etched with fine, deliberate lines. The composition is structured to draw the eye across the muscular forms. The artist skillfully uses line and shadow to create a sense of depth, emphasizing the tactile quality of bodies against a darker backdrop. Pool explores a reversal of traditional roles and expectations. Semiotically, the figures of Hercules and Omphale can be interpreted as signs that destabilize conventional notions of gender and power. The lion skin usually worn by Hercules is now under Omphale's leg, emphasizing the transfer of power. Ultimately, the piece is an interplay of lines and forms. It challenges us to reconsider fixed meanings, offering a space where the symbolic orders of mythology are questioned and reconfigured.