Hercules at the crossroads
1677 - 1755
Young Hercules sits weary at a crossroads in this dynamic Baroque sketch, facing a classic moral dilemma. To his left, a figure representing Vice tempts him with a life of ease, evidenced by the scattered flowers and lute at her feet. Meanwhile, the standing figure of Virtue points sternly toward a steep, rocky path leading to a temple, symbolizing the hard road to glory. Elias van Nijmegen uses loose, energetic ink lines and soft washes to bring this ancient myth to life, reminding us that the path to greatness is rarely the easy one.
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