Hercules c. 1499

Albrecht Durer made this engraving, Hercules, in Germany during the late 15th century, using the tools of his printmaking workshop. Durer here presents a scene from classical mythology in which Hercules is about to be struck by Cupid. In the art of Northern Europe, the classical subject matter was only just beginning to circulate. The print is a product of the printing revolution and reflects an emergent Humanist intellectual culture that was forming around universities and print shops at this time. At the same time, there are many elements that are specifically German about this print. The landscape background, for example, with the castle and the forest, reflect the local geography of Southern Germany. Also, Durer's sophisticated understanding of linear perspective puts to use mathematical knowledge from institutions such as craft guilds. By studying this print alongside other images and archival sources, we can better understand how it comments on the social structures of its time.