#hercules and omphale

[zegalba]

Vivienne Westwood: 'Hercules and Omphale Heart Bag' (1993)

[mythinart]

hercules and omphale by françois boucher (1735)

[dreaminginthedeepsouth]

Hercules and Omphale, a Fresco from the House of Marcus Lucretius Fronto, triclinium 16, east wall, Pompeii, c 70 CE. National Archaeological Museum of Naples :: [Robert Scott Horton]

* * * *

“I left you to make you understand my mystery. Do not believe others will die, not you. It is not for that I'm your friend. By laying myself on the pyre, I became divine. I have wrestled with Thanatos knee to knee, and I know how death is vanquished. Man's immortality is not to live forever, for that wish is born of fear. Each moment free from fear, makes a man immortal.” ― Mary Renault, Fire from Heaven

[thereinart]

I think Queen Omphale and Heracles is a story with potential. If I was a writer I could reach stars with them I just know it

But I'm a doodler so have those :3

[tragediambulante]

Heracles and Omphale, Francois Boucher, 1735

[mythologypaintings]

Hercules and Omphale

Artist: Benedetto Gennari (Italian, 1633-1715)

Date: c. 1675-1677

Medium: Oil on canvas

Collection: Royal Collection, United Kingdom

Description

Standing at the left is Omphale, wearing Hercules' lion-skin and holding his club. He is seated at the right, holding her distaff. A cupid at his feet is smiling, looking out at the viewer and pointing upwards towards a female attendant who is positioned behind Hercules, and is tying a bracelet to his wrist.

The subject of this work is a familiar one in painting from the Renaissance onwards. The hero Hercules was sold as an enslaved person to Omphale, Queen of Lydia, and became her lover. In her service Hercules grew effeminate, adopted woman's dress and spun yarn. The chief source for the story is Appolodorus, Bibliotheca, Book 2, Chapter 6, no. 3.

[slaterinc]

vivienne westwood ‘hercules and omphale heart’ bag (1993) via el cycer

[sarafangirlart]

Omphale ❤️❤️❤️

[zegalba]

Vivienne Westwood: Hercules and Omphale jeans spring/summer 1993

[realmoftheacornking]

Jakob de Wit (Dutch, 1695-1754), "Herkules und Omphale," dated 1721.

Omphale was Queen of the Kingdom of Lydia in Asia Minor, but more famously, she was the second wife of Hercules.

[oilpalette]

Hercules and Omphale, about 1700–1710

Luigi Garzi - Italian (Roman), b. 1638 - 1721

Oil on canvas, 98.4 × 134.6 cm

[panhelleniios]

I just saw a post that described herc and omphale as 'the original girlboss and malewife' and ... they're not wrong

[katerinaaqu]

Heracles and Dionysus Drinking contest (Early 2nd AD century, Antioch, Imperial Roman mosaic)

This mosaic from an Atrium House in Antioch depicts a funny small story known in classical art as a drinking contest between Heracles (Hercules) and Dionysus (Bacchus). According to the story, Heracles challenges Dionysus in a drinking contest and of course loses. The result of their contest seems to be an anecdotal story that he joins his Thiasus for a short while.

In this mosaic we can spot Heracles naked and kneeling while chugging down from his cup (the lion mane and club resting before his knees). To the far left we can detect the figure of a double-flute playing menad while we see Dionysus casually resting upon pillows, holding a thyrsus/spear to his hand and showing his own empty cup to Heracles while being surrounded by the satyr Silenus (far right) and his cup-bearer, the little satyriscus to the center. One can also detect the golden-colored crater in the middle.

The parallels between the two figures seem to be incredible:

Both are sons of Zeus and both are arguably the youngest of their classes (Dionysus is the youngest god of the Olympians born by Zeus and Heracles according to some roman sources is the last demi-god from the last mortal lover Zeus takes)

Both are born by a mortal woman (Alcmene and Semele respectably)

Both have been induced in madness by Hera (Dionysus repeatedly while Heracles was turned mad and threw his children with Megara in the fire), and continusly targeted by the wrath of the goddess

Both become divine just in different ways (Dionysus is established as one of the 12 gods of Olympus while Heracles becomes a god post-mortem)

Both seem associated with Elysian mysteries

Both are associated one way or another with theater or role-playing (Dionysus being the god of theater among others while Heracles had at some point dress as a woman while living with Omphale)

One is associated with strength and power (Heracles) while the other is associated with art but also Madness (Dionysus)

Both are associated with the youth (Heracles for his war achievements while Dionysus is also portrayed as a youth many times)

Dionysus according to some myths is married to a god-made woman (Ariadne) while god-made Heracles marries a goddess (Hebe)

Both figures travel to the underworld (Heracles during his 12 labors when he goes to take Cerberus while Dionysus according to orphic traditions as Zagreus descends to the underworld to come back out as Dionysus through Semele)

Consequently to above, both figures suffered a painful death (Dionysus as Zagreus being torn to pieces and/or eaten by Titans, Heracles poisoned by Hydra's poison in Nessus's blood through his marital chiton and consequently burnt)

Both figures have been iconically depicted in association with a wild animal (Heracles wearing a lion skin, Dionysus either riding or wearing a leopard)

Both figures have myths that associate them with non-human creatures (Heracles having good time with the Centaurs, Dionysus being followed by Satyrs)

I find it interesting how we do not have more art or talk about these two iconic mythological figures!

[hadrian6]

Study for Hercules and Omphale. Charles Gleyre Swiss 1806-1874. Cantonal Museum of Fine Arts. http://hadrian6.tumblr.com

[hildegardavon]

Albert-Ernest Carrier-Belleuse, 1824-1887

Hercules and Omphale, n/d, terracotta, on an ebonised wood base, 77x cm

Private Collection (Sotheby's)

[cosmicanger]

Vivienne Westwood Hercules and Omphale François Boucher Set