Minneapolis Institute of Art

Lichas Bringing the Garment of Nessus to Hercules, From the Labors of Hercules

Sebald Beham

Date

1542–48

Medium

Engraving

Department

European Art

Institution

Minneapolis Institute of Art

The legendary strongman Hercules was born to the god Zeus and a mortal named Alcmena. This union so incensed Zeus’s wife Hera that she made life almost unbearable for the hero. Her ire resulted in him undertaking a series of tasks, known as the Twelve Labors of Hercules. Sebald Beham challenged his audience’s knowledge of the classical text, engraving three actual labors and nine scenes of Hercules’ exploits before and after his labors. Believing Hercules loves Iole, the jealous Deianeira dips his robe in a magic potion, a gift from the centaur Nessus, before having Lichas deliver the robe to Hercules. Deianeira believed it to be a love potion that would restore Hercules’ love to her, but it, too, had been tainted by the hydra’s deadly blood. Germany, Europe

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