Copy painting on canvas of the artwork
Hercules and Nessus (Stuck)

The dramatic episode of “Hercules and Nessus” is frozen here with remarkable power by Franz von Stuck. On the left of the canvas, the mythological hero, adorned with the skin of the Nemean lion, vigorously draws his glowing red bow. His muscular, tense body reflects the effort of taking deadly aim. On the right, the centaur Nessus gallops away, carrying Deianira, Hercules’ wife, whose glowing red dress contrasts with the dark brown of the centaur. The fatal arrow has just pierced the beast’s back. The landscape with its agitated brushstrokes and the pale blue sky accentuate the violence and dynamics of the narrative. A classic composition revisited with the raw, symbolist energy typical of the German painter.