Dürer Hercules Conquering the Molionide Twins was Dürer’s only woodcut of a mythological theme and it confounded scholars for a long time. According to Walter L. Strauss:

According to legend, the bodies of the twin sons of Molione: Eurytsu and Kteatus, were joined and their combined bodily strength exceeded that of any human. Hercules is wearing a boar’s skin because this event occurred before the slaying of the Nemean lion who is shown in the background.

Created in c. 1496-1498, this woodcut is monogrammed by Albrecht Dürer (Nuremburg, 1471- Nuremburg, 1528) in the woodblock 'AD' in the lower center. This work is a Meder State III (a) of (c) impression, dating this impression to c. 1580.

Documentation:

The Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia, PA

Albrecht Dürer Hercules Conquering the Molionide Twins, 1496-1498 is fully documented and referenced in the below catalogue raisonnés and texts (copies will be enclosed as added documentation with the invoice accompanying the final sale of the work):

1. Bartsch. The Illustrated Bartsch Vol. 10. Edited by Walter L. Strauss. New York: Abaris Books, 1981. Listed and illustrated as catalogue raisonné no. 127.

2. Kurth, W. Dr. The Complete Woodcuts of Albrecht Dürer. New York: Dover Publications, Inc.,1963. Listed as catalogue raisonné no. 99.

3. Meder, J. Dürer-Katalog. Wien: Verlag Gilhoffer & Ranschburg, 1932. Listed as catalogue raisonné no. 238.

4. Pawlak, M. Albrecht Dürer: 1471 bis 1528, Das gesamte Graphische Werk, Druckgraphik, Band II. München, Verlag Rogner & Bernhard GMBH. Listed and illustrated as plate no. 1756-7

5. Scheller, R. W. and Boon, K. G. The Graphic Art of Albrecht Dürer, Hans Dürer and the Dürer School. Amsterdam: Vengendt & Co, 1971. Listed and illustrated as catalogue raisonné no. 238..

6. Schoch, R. Albrecht Dürer: Das druckgraphische Werk, Band II Holzschnitte und Holzschnittfolgen. München: Prestel Verlag, 2002. Listed and illustrated as catalogue raisonné no. 105.

7. Strauss, W. L. Albrecht Dürer, Woodcuts and Wood Blocks. New York: Abaris Books, 1980. Listed and illustrated as catalogue raisonné no. 32.

8. A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany this work.

Albrecht Dürer Hercules Conquering the Molionide Twins, 1496-1498  is framed to museum-grade, conservation standards, presented in a complementary moulding and finished with linen-wrapped mats and optical grade Plexiglas.