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Hercules Strangling the Nemean Lion

Andrea Andreani

1650

From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum

Baroque Mythology

Dominant colour

Hercules Strangling the Nemean Lion is a 1650 by Andrea Andreani, held at Victoria and Albert Museum.

Who painted this?: Andrea Andreani
When & what style?: 1650
Where can I see it?: Victoria and Albert Museum

About this work

This print shows a muscular man wrapped around a giant lion. The lion’s fur is thick and tangled, its mouth open wide. The man’s face is tight with effort, one arm locked around the lion’s neck. The scene looks like it’s carved into the paper, with heavy black lines and no color. The artist used shading to make the muscles and fur pop out. Check out the Victoria and Albert Museum to see this print in person.

The story of this work

Overview

A chiaroscuro woodcut print on paper depicts Hercules in the act of strangling the Nemean lion, based on a composition by Raphael. The technique employs contrasting light and shadow to define the muscular struggle between the hero and the beast. Printed in the mid-17th century, the work reflects the influence of Italian Renaissance designs adapted through the chiaroscuro method.

Read the full account in the museum source.