Heracles and Omphale 1537

Lucas Cranach the Elder’s “Heracles and Omphale,” painted in 1537, depicts the Greek hero Heracles, clothed in a white headdress, being adorned by three women. This piece is a well-known example of Cranach's work and is on display at the Herzog Anton Ulrich Museum in Braunschweig, Germany. The painting references the Greek myth of Heracles being enslaved by the queen Omphale. It's thought that Cranach’s work may have been inspired by the play "Hercules Oetaeus" by Seneca, although it's debated whether the women in the painting are meant to represent Omphale. Regardless, Cranach’s use of bright colors and fine detail, typical of the German Renaissance style, creates a captivating scene.