Cleveland Museum of Art

The Labors of Hercules: Hercules Killing the Giant Cacus

Hans Sebald Beham

Date: 1545
Medium: engraving
Culture: Germany
Department: Prints
Institution: Cleveland Museum of Art

While Hercules was asleep, the fire-breathing giant Cacus stole some oxen that Hercules had been herding. Hercules tracked the animals to Cacus’s lair, where he slew the giant. Here, an ox watches as Cacus spews a blast of fire, and Hercules prepares to strike a fatal blow. 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.

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