#gotta say im usually more of a la person but idk this painting does have a darker vibe

[museenkuss]

In an effort to be more consistent in my writing exercises, I thought it might be a fun idea to post them here to hold myself accountable. I collect striking imagery for future use, so most of my notes are on paintings I found interesting. I’ll also try to keep them short and condense my handwritten notes into a few bullet points.

Dosso Dossi (c.1490-1542): Witchcraft (Allegory of Hercules)

The painting and its meaning are mysterious to this day, but one assumption is that it might combine the story of Hercules, who was so madly in love with the queen Omphale that he did “feminine” things such as spinning wool while she wore his lion’s pelt - with a joyful scene at the court of Ferrara. There are many striking details to this painting (like the cheese being an aphrodisiac and the “Hercules” possibly being a hidden, aged portrait of the duke Ercole II.)