Hercules, Two Satyrs, and a Woman, plate two from The Labors of Hercules
c. 1528
Medium
Woodcut on ivory laid paper
Dimensions
Image/plate: 19.8 × 14.7 cm (7 13/16 × 5 13/16 in.); Sheet: 25.3 × 17.3 cm (10 × 6 13/16 in.)
Classification
woodcut
Department
Prints and Drawings
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
20487
Art Historical Context
In the early 16th century, French printmaker Gabriel Salmon captured the mythic drama of Hercules in *Hercules, Two Satyrs, and a Woman*, plate two from his series *The Labors of Hercules* (c. 1528). This woodcut on ivory laid paper, measuring a compact 19.8 × 14.7 cm for the image, exemplifies the Renaissance fascination with classical antiquity. Hercules, the heroic strongman of Greek mythology, is depicted amid satyrs—mischievous woodland spirits—and a woman, suggesting a playful interlude amid his famous twelve labors, blending strength, sensuality, and the supernatural. Woodcuts like thi...