0 of 17,462
Picture archive > Search results > YW035878V
An arch decorated with a panel representing Ferdinand of Spain as Hercules choosing duty over pleasure
Active selection in cart:
| Caption | An arch decorated with a panel representing Ferdinand of Spain as Hercules choosing duty over pleasure. Etching by T van Thulden after Sir PP Rubens. An arch erected outside the abbey of St Michael, Antwerp. The arch is toppped by an acroterion with the coat-of-arms of Ferdinand, a prince's crown, and a cardinal's hat, above which are a laurel branch and crossed palms encircled by a wreath. A banderolle across the palms proclaims the motto "Ardua per praeceps gloria vadit iter". To left and right stand angels holding banners inscriped P and F (Princeps Ferdinandus?). On either side of the pediment is a seated sphinx The panel on the arch is described as follows in the British Museum online catalogue: "at centre, filling the tympanum is a large canvas representing the choice of Hercules at the moment he decides to follow the path of virtue; at the centre of the picture the Cardinal-Infante Ferdinand appears in the guise of Hercules Prodicius, wearing a lion's skin and holding his club in the company of Minerva at right, and Venus, Cupid and Bacchus at left, with a cannon and other military implements in the foreground; on the hilltop in the background stand the temples of Virtue and Honour, guarded by hybrid beasts." On the base of the panel is an inscription: "Herculi alexikakoi. Ardua saxoso semita clivo calcatur Fernande, tibi. Malesuada voluptas pellitur etc.". Created 1642. Triumphal arches. Infante of Spain Fernando (1609–1641). Hercules (Roman mythological character). Contributors: Peter Paul Rubens (1577–1640); Theodoor van Thulden (1606–1669); Jean-Gaspard Gevaerts (1593–1666). Work ID: xh785b9u. |
|---|---|
| Creator | see caption |
| Artwork medium | etching |
| Credit | Wellcome Collection |
| Terms of use | Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY 4.0) |
| Search stock images by keyword | arch decorated panel representing Ferdinand of Spain Hercules choosing duty pleasure Etchings Allegorical Peter Paul Rubens Theodoor van Thulden Jean-Gaspard Gevaerts Theodoor van Thulden |
| Stock image ref | Size | Views |
|---|---|---|
| YW035878V | 2,298 x 3,652 pixels | 59 |
Free public domain image
To download this free image, please register (this takes just 30 seconds) or log in.
This is one of 1,687,035 free hi-res public domain images, selected from major public collections to complement the Look and Learn archive, and to save you time and money. Typically, it may be used for any purpose, but users should check the precise terms and satisfy themselves that the intended use will not infringe the rights of any third party.
Can we help?
Look and Learn is one of the world’s leading sources of historical and cultural images for personal and commercial use. Feel free to contact us with any questions or requests.