Hercules Slays Diomedes and his Flesh-Eating Mares (Apollodorus, II, 5, 8 and Quintus Smyrnaeus, VI, 247-250)

Art Historical Context

In this striking 1806 outline engraving and etching, Henry Fuseli, the visionary Romantic artist famed for his dramatic depictions of mythology and the supernatural, collaborates with engraver Johann Heinrich Lips to capture a pivotal moment from Hercules' second labor. The scene illustrates the hero slaying King Diomedes and taming his ferocious, flesh-eating mares, drawing from ancient texts like Apollodorus'Library* (II, 5, 8) and Quintus Smyeus' *Posthomerica* (VI, 247-250). Measuring 12⅝ × 9⅞ inches on the plate, this print pulses with Fuseli's signature intensity—bold contours and shadowy forms evoking raw power and primal terror. The outline technique, a hallmark of reproductive prints from the era, strips away color and shading to emphasize dynamic lines and composition, making it ideal for study and dissemination of Fuseli's original designs. Popular in early 19th-century Europe, such engravings brought classical myths to wider audiences, bridging ancient lore with Romantic sensibilities that celebrated heroic struggle and the macabre. A generous gift to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 1955, this work exemplifies how prints preserved Fuseli's theatrical vision, inviting visitors to ponder Hercules' brute strength amid thundering horses and fallen foes—a timeless clash of man and myth.

About the Artist

Henry Fuseli|Johann Heinrich Lips · 1741–1825

Henry Fuseli (1741-1825), born Johann Heinrich Füssli in Zürich, was a Swiss-British painter whose visionary works exploring dreams, nightmares, and psychological terror made him one of the most original figures of the Romantic movement. His art bridged Neoclassical discipline with Romantic emotionalism, creating images of supernatural intensity that would influence artists from William Blake to t...