Who created "Hercules and Omphale"?

Hercules and Omphale was created by Pinturicchio in ca. 1509.

When was "Hercules and Omphale" created?

This artwork was created ca. 1509.

What medium is "Hercules and Omphale"?

Hercules and Omphale is Fresco, transferred to canvas and attached to wood panels.

Is "Hercules and Omphale" in the public domain?

Yes, Hercules and Omphale is in the public domain and available for free download under CC0 license.

Hercules and Omphale

Pinturicchio

ca. 1509

Medium

Fresco, transferred to canvas and attached to wood panels

Dimensions

Overall: 17 1/4 × 39 in. (43.8 × 99.1 cm)

Classification

Paintings-Decorative

Culture

Italian, Umbria

Department

European Sculpture and Decorative Arts

Museum

Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY

Credit

Rogers Fund, 1914

Accession Number

14.114.17

Tags

HerculesCowsRamsSheep

Art Historical Context

In the vibrant fresco *Hercules and Omale* (ca. 1509), Umbrian Renaissance master Pinturicchio captures a whimsical yet poignant moment from classical mythology. The mighty hero Hercules, punished for his crimes by serving Queen Omphale of Lydia exchanges his club for a distaff, spinning wool alongside her maidens amid a pastoral scene of cows, rams, and sheep. This of gender roles—Hercules in women's attire while Omphale his lion skin—highlights themes of humility, redemption, and the blurring of heroic masculinity, popular in Renaissance decorative arts. Pinturicchio, renowned for his intri...

Hercules and Omphale

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