Hercules, Cerberus and the Mares of Diomedes n.d.

This drawing renders two of the twelve labors of Hercules in ink and wash. While the artist is unknown, the subject matter connects to a deep history of mythology and its uses within society. Here, we see Hercules in dynamic action, wielding a club over his head while wrangling Cerberus and the Mares of Diomedes. Hercules was often invoked to legitimize the power of monarchs, as we know from printed images and tapestries owned by European royalty. The circulation of Hercules imagery coincided with the rise of academies, like the Accademia del Disegno in Florence. There, artists were trained to draw antique sculptures and learn the visual codes that had signified power for centuries. To understand this drawing better, we could compare it to prints and drawings by artists such as Goltzius and Peter Paul Rubens. This would give a clearer sense of the meaning and cultural context of the image.