The Farnesian Hercules

1592

From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art

Renaissance Renaissance Mythology Buttocks

Dominant colour

The Farnesian Hercules is a 1592 by Hendrik Goltzius, a Renaissance work, depicting Buttocks, held at Cleveland Museum of Art.

Who painted this?: Hendrik Goltzius
When & what style?: 1592 · Renaissance
Where can I see it?: Cleveland Museum of Art

About this work

You see a huge, muscled back—Hercules leaning on his club, his lion skin draped over one arm. Goltzius drew this from below, like you’re looking up at a towering statue. He made the marble feel alive by carving deep shadows into the engraving. The twist of the body and the play of light make the figure pop off the flat paper. If you like how light and shadow shape a scene, look up chiaroscuro.

The story of this work

Overview

Hendrick Goltzius was one of many late Renaissance artists who felt compelled to travel to Italy as part of his artistic training. He went with one purpose—to study antique sculpture. Goltzius made drawings on-site and then made engravings after his designs once he returned to Haarlem in 1591. He portrayed the Farnese Hercules from a low viewpoint to capture the awesome experience of first encountering the famous monument. Goltzius showed the sculpture from behind and in shadow, emphasizing its glowing highlights. The print includes two observers, who were assumed by contemporary Dutch…

Did you know?

The 3rd-century Farnese Hercules was unearthed in 1546 in the Baths of Caracalla in Rome and was on display in the courtyard of the Farnese Palace by the time Hendrick Goltzius visited the city.

Read the full account in the museum source.

About the artist

Artist

Hendrik Goltzius

Hendrick Goltzius (German: , Dutch: ; né Goltz; January or February 1558 – 1 January 1617) was a German-born Dutch printmaker, draftsman, and painter.

See the richer artist page