Hero crowned by Victory, who places a laurel wreath on his head, Venus and Cupid at left, Envy at left in the background, Silenus on the ground, under the hero's foot 1730 - 1761

Pieter Tanjé created this engraving, "Hero Crowned by Victory," based on a painting by Peter Paul Rubens. Tanjé was working in the 18th century, a time when European society was deeply structured by hierarchies of power and gender. Here, the victorious male hero is literally elevated. Victory, often represented as a winged female figure, crowns him, while the defeated Silenus lies beneath his feet. Consider how this image reinforces traditional gender roles, with women embodying abstract concepts like ‘victory’ but ultimately serving to glorify male achievement. Envy lurks in the background, a subtle acknowledgement perhaps, of the darker side of ambition and triumph. The presence of Venus and Cupid adds another layer, suggesting that love and desire also play a role in the hero's success. But at what cost? The figures are rendered in exquisite detail, their bodies idealized, their expressions carefully controlled. What stories are not being told in this carefully constructed scene of power and privilege?