1567
ink
paper
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Dominant colour
Hercules Resting from His Labors is a 1567 ink by Giorgio Ghisi, a Renaissance work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This engraving shows a muscular man lying down in a grassy field, resting one arm under his head. Behind him, a detailed landscape unfolds: a walled city by the water, boats on the shore, and mountains in the distance. The sky is dramatic, with swirling clouds and a rainbow over the city. The artist used fine lines to build up shadows and texture, especially on the man’s muscles and the trees. This kind of shading is typical of the time. Next, look up engraving to see how artists like this one carved their work into metal plates.
Giorgio Ghisi (1520 — 15 December 1582) was an Italian engraver from Mantua who also worked in Antwerp and in France.
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