Hercules and Cacus, 1588
Hendrick Goltziusexpand_more
Chiaroscuro woodcut printed from three blocks in black, pale yellow, and olive greenexpand_more
The John E. and Marion Andrus III Fund in Support of the Department of Prints and Drawings and the Winton Jones Endowment Fund for Prints and Drawingsexpand_more 2022.35.1
Not on Viewexpand_more
The story of Hercules and Cacus is a spinoff from the tenth of the hero’s famous Twelve Labors: rustling the cattle of the monster Geryon. Having stolen the cattle, Hercules was driving them through Italy, when he decided to spend the night on the Aventine Hill (one of the seven hills upon which Rome would later rise). In a cavern beneath the hill lived Cacus, a menacing, fire-breathing giant. As Hercules slept, Caucus made off with some of the cattle. When Hercules discovered that they were in Cacus’s cave, he went in and slew him with his club. We identify the main players by their attributes: Hercules wears a lion skin as a cape, and Cacus belches fire.
Hendrick Goltzius used the chiaroscuro printmaking technique to cast an eerie light on the action. Three wooden blocks were carved with different but interdependent designs and then printed in superimposed layers of different colors.
Details
- Title
- Hercules and Cacus
- Artist Life
- 1558–1617
- Role
- Artist
- Accession Number
- 2022.35.1
- Catalogue Raisonne
- Bartsch 231 Hollstein 373 Strauss 403 Bialler 25 ii/vi
- Curator Approved
This record has been reviewed by our curatorial staff but may be incomplete. These records are frequently revised and enhanced. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@artsmia.org.
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