Artwork
Hercules Resting (recto); Footed Vessel with Handle (verso)
Hercules Resting (recto); Footed Vessel with Handle (verso) is a drawing by the Renaissance artist Annibale Carracci. It dates from 1596 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
About this work
Overview
This drawing is a study for a fresco depicting Hercules resting, created by Annibale Carracci on both sides of a sheet of paper. The recto shows the hero surrounded by symbols of his labors, while the verso features a simple footed vessel with a handle.
Subject & Meaning
The drawing represents Hercules at rest after completing his twelve labors, surrounded by trophies such as the head of the Erymanthian boar, the golden apples of the Hesperides, and the hide of the Nemean lion.
Technique & Style
Carracci's depiction of Hercules is characterized by exaggerated musculature, influenced by ancient sculptures of river gods in the Farnese collection and Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel ceiling frescoes, particularly the reclining figure of Adam.
History & Provenance
The drawing was a preparatory study for a fresco commissioned by Cardinal Odoardo Farnese for the ceiling of his study in the family's Roman palace, later realized in the Farnese Gallery.
Artist & collection
Artist
Annibale Carracci ( kə-RAH-chee, UK also kə-RATCH-ee, Italian: ; November 3, 1560 – July 15, 1609) was an Italian painter and instructor, active in Bologna and later in Rome.
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