DISCOVERART

Hendrick Goltzius

The Farnesian Hercules, plate one from Three Famous Antique Sculptures

c. 1592
Engraving on paper
39.8 × 29.3 cm (15.7 × 11.5 in)

SEE IT IN PERSON

Not currently on view

In the collection of Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago · as of July 2026

View at artic.edu ↗Plan a visit ↗

Discussion

FROM THE ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO’S CATALOG

On a long-awaited pilgrimage to Italy in 1590 and 1591, the great Haarlem Mannerist artist Hendrick Goltzius made many studies after ancient and modern sculpture. This ancient Greek statue of Hercules by Lysippus was unearthed and restored around 1550 and placed in the Farnese Palace. Goltzius engraved only three statues of a projected series, and these were not printed until after his death, around 1617.

Source ↗

Be the first to share your thoughts.

Sign in to join the discussion.

Community guidelines

More by Hendrick Goltzius

Dying AdonisDying AdonisVertumnus and PomonaVertumnus and PomonaLot and his DaughtersLot and his DaughtersThe Dragon Devouring the Companions of CadmusThe Dragon Devouring the Companions of CadmusJohannes StradanusJohannes StradanusHans BolHans BolHenry IV of FranceHenry IV of FranceOceanus, from The DeitiesOceanus, from The Deities

More like this

The Farnesian HerculesHendrick Goltzius (Dutch, 1558–1617) — The Farnesian HerculeFarnese HerculesMario Cartaro|Giorgio Ghisi — Farnese HerculesThe Rape of a Sabine Woman, View from BehindJan Harmensz. Muller — The Rape of a Sabine Woman, View fromThe Abduction of a Sabine WomanJan Harmensz. Muller — The Abduction of a Sabine WomanSpeculum Romanae Magnificentiae: Hercules Colossus at Padua (L'Ercole di casa Benavides a Padova)Enea Vico|Bartolomeo Ammanati (Ammannati)|Antonio Lafreri|PiApollo BelvedereHendrick Goltzius (Dutch, 1558–1617) — Apollo BelvederePlate 15: Hercules standing in a niche, wearing a lion skin and holding a club, viewed from behind, with his head turned to the left, from "Mythological Gods and Goddesses"Giovanni Jacopo Caraglio|Rosso Fiorentino — Plate 15: HerculThe Abduction of a Sabine Women (view from behind)Adriaen de Vries|Jan Muller — The Abduction of a Sabine WomePlate 9: Mars in a niche, holding a sword above his head with his right arm, and a shield on his left arm, from "Mythological Gods and Goddesses"Giovanni Jacopo Caraglio|Rosso Fiorentino — Plate 9: Mars inJoseph of ArimatheaNicolas Beatrizet — Joseph of ArimatheaPlate 1: Saturn in a niche devouring his son, standing before a scythe, from "Mythological Gods and Goddesses"Giovanni Jacopo Caraglio|Rosso Fiorentino|Antonio Salamanca Speculum Romanae Magnificentiae: Hercules Colossus at Padua (L'Ercole di casa Benavides a Padova)Antonio Lafreri|Enea Vico|Bartolomeo Ammanati (Ammannati)|An