Hans Sebald Beham, The Labors of Hercules:  Hercules Strangling the Nemean Lion
Williams Collection, 1950.469 · The Cleveland Museum of Art, Open Access (CC0)View original →
Hans Sebald Beham

The Labors of Hercules: Hercules Strangling the Nemean Lion

1548

Current Collection

Cleveland Museum of Art

Cleveland, United States

Medium
engraving
Status
In Museum Collection
Collect24 Art ID
C24-216446

Hercules uses his bare hands to strangle the lion that terrorized the people of Nemea. The beast was invulnerable to his weapons, which Hercules propped against the nearby tree. In art, Hercules often appears wearing the pelt of the Nemean lion, an identifying symbol that recalls this legend and that characterizes the hero’s strength and fearlessness. Beham was one of several German printmakers referred to today as the “Little Masters.” They established their artistic prowess by engraving remarkably small prints, appealing to collectors fascinated with miniature objects and curiosities.

Provenance

Williams Collection, 1950.469

Registry history

  • 1548 — Recorded in the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art — prints

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