Art, literature & history
The Labors of Hercules: Hercules Killing the Giant Cacus
1545
- Dating
- Exact year
- Held at
- The Cleveland Museum of Art
- Medium
- engraving
- Collection no.
- 1950.467
- Attribution
- By the artist
- Image rights
- CC0 1.0License details
Sebald Beham. The Labors of Hercules: Hercules Killing the Giant Cacus. The Cleveland Museum of Art. CC0 1.0. Compressed full-frame reproduction.
Collection: The Cleveland Museum of Art
About this artwork
The Labors of Hercules: Hercules Killing the Giant Cacus — Sebald Beham. 1545.
Medium: engraving. Dimensions: .
Collection record: The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland. Museum connection according to this source; current display unverified.
While Hercules was asleep, the fire-breathing giant Cacus stole some oxen that Hercules had been herding. Hercules tracked the animals to Cacus’s lair, where he slew the giant. Here, an ox watches as Cacus spews a blast of fire, and Hercules prepares to strike a fatal blow.
Beham was one of several German printmakers referred to today as the “Little Masters.” They established their artistic prowess by engraving remarkably small prints, appealing to collectors fascinated with miniature objects and curiosities.
Source: official collection record. Metadata selected and normalized by Artline from the source export, accessed 10 September 2026; no museum endorsement. Reproduction rights are separate.
Location checked Sep 10, 2026. This does not indicate whether the work is on display.