Hercules doodt de slangen
Medium
engraving
Dimensions
241; 180
About this artwork
De jonge Hercules zit op zijn wieg, en wurgt met zijn handen de slangen die door Juno op hem werden afgestuurd. Rechts kijken Alcmene en Amphytrion vanaf hun bed verbaasd toe. In de ondermarge een cartouche zonder tekst.
Art Historical Context
Step into the mythical world of ancient heroism with *Hercules doodt de slangen* (Hercules Kills the Snakes), captivating 1533 engraving by Agostino Veneziano a masterful Italian printmaker of the Renaissance. Measuring 241 mm high by 180 mm wide, this work dramatically captures the infant Hercules seated in his cradle, his tiny hands throttling the serpents dispatched by the jealous goddess Juno (Hera in Greek myth) to slay him. To the right, his parents, Alcmene and Amphryon, gaze in astonishment from their bed, their expressions blending awe and relief. A blank cartouche in the lower margin...
About the Artist
Agostino Veneziano
Agostino Veneziano, born Agostino de' Musi around 1490 in Venice, received his initial artistic training there, though his primary teacher remains unknown. He began as a pupil of Giulio Campagnola, copying prints by Albrecht Dürer and Campagnola himself from about 1512–14, before producing original works in a similar vein. By around 1515, after brief stints in Florence, he settled in Rome and join...