Hercules and the Hydra
1552
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1552
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Hercules stands in a forest, his club raised, fighting the Hydra’s many heads. Blood drips from the serpent’s necks as he swings his weapon. The etching shows rough lines but captures the chaos well. This isn’t just a myth scene. Battista used a mix of etching and drypoint here. Drypoint scratches into the plate for softer lines. That makes the Hydra’s scales and Hercules’ muscles stand out in different ways. Try looking up Angolo del Moro, Battista next.
