Art, literature & history
The Labors of Hercules: Hercules Conquering Troy
1545
- Dating
- Exact year
- Held at
- The Cleveland Museum of Art
- Medium
- engraving
- Collection no.
- 1950.462
- Attribution
- By the artist
- Image rights
- CC0 1.0License details
Sebald Beham. The Labors of Hercules: Hercules Conquering Troy. 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 Conquering Troy — Sebald Beham. 1545.
Medium: engraving. Dimensions: .
Collection record: The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland. Museum connection according to this source; current display unverified.
According to legend, before the Trojan War, Hercules traveled to Troy and pillaged it. In this battle scene packed with soldiers and war horses, Hercules can be identified by the lion-skin cape billowing behind him. He uses a lance made from a small tree, torn out by the roots, while his steed tosses a piercing glance directly at the viewer.
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.