Hercules and Antaeus
1638
ink
paper
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
About the artist
Artist
Giovanni Pietro Possenti
Giovanni Pietro Possenti (1618–1659) was an artist.
See the richer artist page1638
ink
paper
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Hercules and Antaeus is a 1638 ink by Giovanni Pietro Possenti, a Baroque work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This sketch shows a muscular man lifting another smaller figure off the ground. The bigger man’s arms are wrapped tight around the smaller one, who looks like he’s struggling. The background is just rough lines, but the bodies are full of quick, scratchy marks that make the muscles and movement pop. The artist used a technique called *etching*—they scratched into a metal plate, then ink filled the lines to create this dark, textured image. It’s all about raw energy and power. Next, check out more works by Possenti, Giovanni Pietro.
Giovanni Pietro Possenti (1618–1659) was an artist.
See the richer artist page
