Hercules, in his death throes, hurling Lichas into the sea

1790

From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum

Romanticism 18th Century Mythology heracles

About this work

This sketch shows a muscular man on his back, arms raised as if pushing something away. His face is twisted in pain, and his legs are tangled with another figure—a smaller, struggling man being thrown downward. The background is rough, like waves or rocks, with quick, sketchy lines. The artist focused on raw emotion and movement, not smooth details. The lines are tight and layered, creating dark and light areas without much shading. Try looking up cross-hatching to see how artists build depth with just lines.