Hercules Farnese after 1592

This engraving by Nicolaes de Bruyn depicts the Hercules Farnese, a statue recovered in Rome during the Renaissance. Note how Hercules leans wearily on his club, draped with the Nemean Lion’s skin, symbols of his strength and victory over the natural world. This pose, expressing both power and fatigue, is fascinating. The 'resting Hercules' can be traced back through the ages. We see it echoed in depictions of other heroes and gods, each time subtly reshaped by the cultural anxieties of the age. Think of the stoic resignation in depictions of Atlas burdened with the world. There is a shared psychological language here – an understanding of the burdens of power and the weight of responsibility. The image of Hercules, celebrated, yet burdened, reminds us that even the mightiest heroes are not immune to the trials of existence. The story of Hercules is not linear, but cyclical, constantly revisited, reinterpreted, and imbued with new meaning across time.