Hercules Killing Cacus
1550
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1550
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
This print shows a muscular man wrestling a giant snake-like creature. He’s lifting the beast off the ground with one arm, while his other hand holds a club. The scene looks wild, with tangled limbs and a rocky background. A small shield with a crest sits near his feet. The Latin text below names the fight as Hercules versus Cacus, a mythical monster. The artist carved this into metal, using deep lines to show shadows and muscle. Next, check out Aldegrever, Heinrich for more of his dramatic prints.
