HeraclesOmphale1.0006

Jan Gossaert, also called Mabuse, engraver (ca. 1478-1533/1536), "Hercules en Omphale", print of woodcut, 1523-1527; Rijksmuseum Prentenkabinet, Amsterdam, RP-P-1912-361

The queen of Lydia, Omphale, has purchased Heracles, whose thralldom to her will expiate his murder of Iole's brother Iphitus.

The intense erotic interaction between the two is noteworthy. Gossaert painted also a couple in erotic embrace sometimes identified Heracles and Omphale but more likely to be read as Heracles and Deianeira (cf. HeraclesDeianeira1.0014_Gossaert. Reid's listing at HeraclesOmphale1.0006 may be in error, as the Rijksmuseum listing states the depiction of lionskin on Omphale and her possession of the hero's club.

The image at right is derived from the Rijksmuseum website but regarded by them formally as "in the public domain", thus used here with assumed permission under creative commons.