1542
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
The Labors of Hercules: Hercules Receiving the Garment Steeped in Nessus's Blood is a 1542 by Sebald Beham, a Renaissance work, held at Cleveland Museum of Art.
The painting shows Hercules receiving a garment steeped in Nessus's blood. It's a small scene with big details. The artist packed a lot into a small space, which is interesting because it shows how much can be conveyed in a tiny print. To learn more about the artist's use of small prints, look up the work of Hans Sebald Beham (German, 1500–1550).
Beham was one of several German printmakers referred to today as the “Little Masters.” They established their artistic prowess by engraving remarkably small prints, appealing to collectors fascinated with miniature objects and curiosities. Here, Beham has packed 12 larger-than-life stories of the mighty Hercules into tiny prints. The series includes three of the 12 labors Hercules performed as penance for slaying his children in a fit of madness: Strangling the Nemean Lion , Killing the Lernean Hydra , and Dragging Cerberus from the Underworld . The other scenes depict tales from his life and…
Read the full account in the museum source.
Sebald Beham (1500–1550) was a German painter and printmaker, mainly known for his very small engravings.
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