Hercules Slaying Envy
1633/34
Medium
Woodcut on ivory paper
Dimensions
Image/block/sheet: 60.2 × 36.2 cm (23 3/4 × 14 5/16 in.)
Classification
woodcut
Department
Prints and Drawings
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
84339
Art Historical Context
Behold *Hercules Slayingvy*, a striking woodcut by Flemish printmaker Christoffel Je, created around 1633/34. Measuring an impressive 60.2 × 36.2 cm on luxurious ivory paper, this large-scale print captures a dramatic mythological moment from classical lore. Jegher, active in Antwerp during the Baroque era, was renowned for his masterful woodcuts, often translating the dynamic compositions of Peter Paul Rubens into print form. This work likely draws from Rubens' allegorical vision, where the heroic Hercules triumphs over the personified vice of Envy, symbolizing virtue's victory amid human fra...