Hercules in gevecht met de Hydra van Lerna 1877 - 1930

This drawing of Hercules fighting the Hydra of Lerna was made by Henri de Groux sometime between 1867 and 1930. It’s an image built up out of layers of hatching and cross-hatching, giving it an overall feeling of tonal density. Looking closely, you can see the artist using a range of different marks, from short, choppy strokes to long, flowing lines, to render the contours of Hercules' muscular body and the writhing heads of the Hydra. I keep thinking about the way the artist seems to have revelled in the physicality of the medium: the way the ink bites into the paper, the way the lines coalesce to form areas of light and shadow. It’s almost as if the act of drawing itself becomes a metaphor for the epic struggle depicted in the image. This reminds me of the work of Francisco Goya, particularly his etchings, where he similarly uses aquatint and etching techniques to create dramatic and emotionally charged images. Like Goya, de Groux seems interested in exploring the darker aspects of the human condition, but with a kind of baroque flair.