Plate 15: Hercules standing in a niche, wearing a lion skin and holding a club, viewed from behind, with his head turned to the left, from a series of mythological gods and goddesses

Art Historical Context

Behold Plate 15 from Giovanni Jacopo Caraglio's series of mythological gods and, engraved after designs by the innovative Rosso Fiorentino in 1526. This engraving captures Hercules from behind, standing powerfully in a sculptural niche. Draped in his iconic lion skin and gripping a massive club, the hero twists his head leftward, revealing rippling muscles and a dynamic pose that evokes classical antiquity while hinting at emerging Mannerist elegance. Crafted on a modest sheet (8 1/4 x 4 5/16 in.), this print exemplifies the Renaissance engraver's art: Caraglio's precise lines render Rosso's bold composition with remarkable clarity and depth, making complex myths accessible to collectors across Europe. Engravings like this democratized high art, bridging painting and printmaking during a time of fervent classical revival. Hercules, the ultimate symbol of Herculean strength and heroism, embodies Renaissance ideals of human potential. Part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints collection (Bequest of Phyllis Massar, 2011), this work invites you to ponder the labors of legend through Fiorentino's visionary lens.

About the Artist

Giovanni Jacopo Caraglio|Rosso Fiorentino · 1500–1565

Italian, Parma or Verona ca. 1500/1505–1565 Krakow (?)