Hercules bedwingt Cerberus 1613 - 1638

Charles David’s engraving, "Hercules bedwingt Cerberus," made around 1610, presents a scene rife with the power dynamics that permeated early modern European society. David depicts Hercules's triumph over Cerberus. The imagery reinforces the era's hierarchical structures. Hercules, a symbol of masculine strength and divine right, overpowers the monstrous Cerberus, a guardian of the underworld. Cerberus’s subjugation represents the conquest of the irrational, and untamed by the rational mind. The question arises, what might it mean to reconsider Cerberus’ position? To see him not as a monster that needs to be defeated, but a creature with its own intrinsic value? The male figures are central. The women are relegated to the background. This composition reflects the gender norms of the 17th century, reinforcing male dominance and female marginalization. David’s work invites us to reflect on the stories we tell, and whose voices are amplified.