Hercules Gallicus, 1599 1599

Curator: Pieter van der Borcht the Elder created this engraving titled *Hercules Gallicus* around 1599. The work is currently held in the Rijksmuseum. Editor: Okay, my first impression is...theatrical. It feels like a bizarre stage set, something for a very erudite puppet show. I mean, look at that raised platform with the columns! Curator: Precisely! The engraving employs allegory quite deliberately. Notice the figure of Hercules. Here, he is presented not just as a symbol of strength, but more subtly, as an allegory of eloquence, scholarship and wisdom triumphing over brute force. Editor: Eloquence, huh? That's a different spin on Hercules than I’m used to. Is that what the text "NON ARMIS OPVS" is meant to convey? Curator: Exactly. It translates roughly as "Work not by arms," or perhaps, "Achievement not through force". It is gesturing towards Hercules' role as a civilizing hero. Also note that he's towering over a collection of what appear to be coats of arms. Each one meticulously rendered, further underscoring the idea of heritage and established power. Editor: They do look incredibly neat! They almost upstage poor old Herc up there! The base also draws the eye, it's like a little picture book of mythological conflicts, framing everything rather vividly. It does strike me as slightly top-heavy, the whole composition, maybe it would benefit if Hercules’ figure wasn't quite so pale. Curator: I can see how it might read that way. The lighter tonality emphasizes his intellectual character, but in the context of Mannerism, we are accustomed to appreciate artifice and refinement. Think about it – the symbolic framework that sustains social power in the era. Hercules as embodied intellect literally overshadows a multitude of inherited insignia. A statement of emergent humanist values. Editor: Hmm, interesting take! So, it's about shifting power, and maybe it shows wisdom having some sway over more traditional ways of wielding it. Very clever…and it gives me food for thought about my assumptions on cultural symbols. Thanks! Curator: And thank you! Delving into the layers of Hercules’ symbolic complexity reaffirms just how enduringly rich historical works of art truly are.