Hercules and the Nemean Lion, from The Labors of Hercules by Sebald Beham

Hercules and the Nemean Lion, from The Labors of Hercules 1548

drawing, print, paper, engraving

drawing

light pencil work

germany

mechanical pen drawing

print

pen sketch

pencil sketch

sketch book

paper

personal sketchbook

sketchwork

pen-ink sketch

pen work

sketchbook drawing

engraving

"Hercules and the Nemean Lion," a 1548 engraving by Sebald Beham, depicts the first labor of the Greek hero. The scene shows Hercules strangling the fearsome lion, its mane and claws rendered with intricate detail. In the background, a city and broken architectural elements symbolize the Nemean Lion's defeat. This small but powerful print, part of a series of The Labors of Hercules, showcases Beham's skill in translating classical mythology into masterful Renaissance art. The work is a captivating example of 16th-century German printmaking, highlighting the artist's ability to convey both strength and drama within a small format.

Comments

minneapolisinstituteofart about 1 year ago

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The legendary strongman Hercules was born to the god Zeus and a mortal named Alcmena. This union so incensed Zeus’s wife Hera that she made life almost unbearable for the hero. Her ire resulted in him undertaking a series of tasks, known as the Twelve Labors of Hercules. Sebald Beham challenged his audience’s knowledge of the classical text, engraving three actual labors and nine scenes of Hercules’ exploits before and after his labors. In this labor, Hercules must vanquish the lion that terrorized Nemea. No weapons worked—only Hercules’ bare hands. The lion’s skin became his attribute.