Hercules and the Hydra

The dense grain of a hardwood allows subtle carving and a high polish. In a relief the image stands out against a background that has been cut away. The depths and angles at which the wood is carved determine the play of light and shadow in the relief. The subject formed part of the Twelve Labours that Hercules undertook as a penance for slaying his own children in a fit of madness. He killed the seven-headed monster by cutting off its heads, with the help of a companion to cauterise the wounds with a torch.