Hercules and Antaeus
Hans Sebald Beham, Hercules and Antaeus, 1545, engraving on paper, Gift of Mrs. Mary Riley, public domain, 93.39.8
This work is not currently on view.
- Title
Hercules and Antaeus
- Artist
- Date
1545
- Period
Late Renaissance (mid-late 16th century)
- Medium
engraving on paper
- Dimensions (H x W x D)
image/sheet: 1 7/8 in x 2 13/16 in
- Inscriptions & Markings
signature/maker's mark: LL "HSB"
inscription: UR "Antaum Lible Gygantem Suffocat Hercules"
- Collection Area
Graphic Arts
- Category
Prints
- Object Type
intaglio print
- Culture
German
- Credit Line
Gift of Mrs. Mary Riley
- Accession Number
93.39.8
- Copyright
public domain
- Terms
Hans Sebald Beham was known as one of the "Little Masters" of the Northern Renaissance for his skill in creating masterful engravings on a very small scale. Although diminutive, these prints capture the strength and endurance of the mighty hero who overcame twelve labors (challenges) to redeem himself. Among the most dramatic scenes is Beham's engraving of Hercules and Antaeus. Although the hero's struggle with Antaeus, the Giant whose strength came from his mother, Gaea (Earth), was not considered one of Hercules's twelve labors, Renaissance artists frequently included it. To conquer the Giant, Hercules lifted him up, breaking his connection with the ground. It was a story that lent itself well to symbolic interpretation, dividing the lower, earthbound nature of humankind (the Giant) from the higher, heavenly realm.
- Exhibitions
2012 Mythologia: Gods, Heroes, and Monsters Portland Art Museum
