Hercules and the Nemean Lion
1566
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1566
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
This woodcut shows Hercules wrestling a giant lion in a dark forest. The lion’s fur looks almost like scales. Thick black lines make the muscles pop against the lighter tan. Boldrini used a two-block print trick. One block held the outlines, the other the shadows. This gave him extra contrast without losing fine details. Look for the same bold shadows in Albrecht Dürer’s prints.
