# Hercules Raising his Club: Study for “Hercules and Cacus”

**François Le Moyne** (French, 1688–1737)  
1717  
Black chalk, with white chalk, on buff laid paper, laid down on laid paper  
41 × 24.7 cm (16 3/16 × 9 3/4 in.)

Courtesy of the Art Institute of Chicago, 2019.880. [The museum's record](https://www.artic.edu/artworks/248310).

## About this work

Hercules swings his club high, his muscular body modelled in black chalk with white highlights on buff paper. François Le Moyne made this study in 1717 for his painting Hercules and Cacus, in which the hero kills the fire-breathing giant who had stolen his cattle; the finished picture won him admission to the French Royal Academy. Studies like this, drawn from a posed model, let him work out the action before committing it to canvas. Le Moyne went on to paint the ceiling of the Salon d’Hercule at Versailles, and François Boucher was briefly his pupil.

_Written by Ochre Editions._

François Le Moyne painted this in 1717, aged 29. It is now at the Art Institute of Chicago.

### What you’re looking at

A work made of black chalk, with white chalk, on buff laid paper, laid down on laid paper.

_Description from the Art Institute of Chicago._

### How it was made

- **Chalk.** Natural black, red and white chalks. Used together on toned paper they could give the warmth of flesh with very little effort, and they were favourites for studies from life.
- **Laid paper.** Handmade on a mould of close-set wires, which leave fine parallel lines you can see when the sheet is held to the light.

### [François Le Moyne](https://www.ochreeditions.com/artists/francois-le-moyne)

French, 1688–1737

## Facts

- Type: Drawing and Watercolor
- Culture: France
- The artist was 29
- Real size: about 16 × 9½ in (41 × 24 cm). The 12 × 16 in print is close to life size.
- Century: 18th century
- Colour: brown
- Rights: public domain (CC0 1.0); free to use for any purpose.

## Get it

- Free download, full resolution: https://img.ochreeditions.com/m/377.jpg?dl=1
- Image: https://img.ochreeditions.com/a/377/1920.jpg
- Giclée reproduction on Hahnemühle Photo Rag: 8 × 10 in $28; 11 × 14 in $38; 12 × 16 in $42; 16 × 20 in $56; 18 × 24 in $68; 20 × 30 in $86; 24 × 36 in $108; 30 × 40 in $148
- Framed reproduction: 8 × 10 in $78; 11 × 14 in $98; 12 × 16 in $108; 16 × 20 in $138; 18 × 24 in $164; 20 × 30 in $208; 24 × 36 in $258; 30 × 40 in $338
- Canvas reproduction: 8 × 10 in $58; 11 × 14 in $72; 12 × 16 in $79; 16 × 20 in $98; 18 × 24 in $118; 20 × 30 in $148; 24 × 36 in $178; 30 × 40 in $228
- Print-ready file: 8 × 10 in $2; 11 × 14 in $2; 12 × 16 in $3; 16 × 20 in $3; 18 × 24 in $3; 20 × 30 in $5; 24 × 36 in $5; 30 × 40 in $5

Sizes stop where the museum's file would print below 150 pixels per inch. Everything sold is a reproduction, made to order. [Order a print](https://www.ochreeditions.com/art/hercules-raising-his-club-study-for-hercules-and-cacus-aic-248310).