Lot 1079 Dα

Hercules, the Greco-Roman hero, is a popular symbol of strength in western art and is often depicted in paintings and sculptures. Langetti himself painted the hero in several works, but rarely as a resting figure as in this painting. Stefani Mantovelli dates a similar version to around 1675, whilst he suggests a date of circa 1650 for the present work (op. cit. p. 153).
Although the Genoan painter Langetti moved to Rome early on in his career to study under Pietro da Cortona, his early works remain strongly influenced by the painting of his home land. He was later more inspired by the Neapolitan Caravagesques like Jusepe de Ribera, Cesare Fracanzano and Luca Giordano than by his teacher Cortona. Like these Neapolitan artists, Langetti was counted among the "tenebrosi", who were known for their depictions of monumental figures modelled with stark contrasts of light and shadow. As Mantovelli explains, Langetti's special interest in mythological figures who represented his stoic way of thinking was characteristic of his oeuvre.