Hercules Obtaining the Girdle of Hyppolita 

Nikolaus Knüpfer painted Hercules Obtaining the Girdle of Hyppolita, an oil on canvas, sometime between 1630 and 1655. Knüpfer, working in the Dutch Golden Age, engaged with classical mythology to comment on power, gender, and identity. Here, Hercules, in his typical lion's skin, is shown forcefully taking the girdle from Hyppolita, queen of the Amazons. Knüpfer captures a moment of struggle, with Hyppolita's raised hand seemingly a gesture of defense. The painting raises questions about the portrayal of women and power, the narratives of conquest and submission, and the tension between classical ideals and the realities of 17th-century social hierarchies. This painting is more than a depiction of a mythological event; it's an exploration of dominance and resistance, framed within the complex dynamics of gender and power, and seen through the lens of a society grappling with its own identity and values.