We think this piece is the perfect talisman in support and encouragement of free gender expression.

In Greek mythology, Omphale was queen of the kingdom of Lydia in Asia Minor. In her best-known myth, she is the mistress of Hercules during his year of penal servitude.

Sophocles wrote that the Delphic oracle declared that Hercules must be sold into slavery as penance for murdering Iphitus. Thus, Hercules was enslaved to Omphale for one year.

In ye olde Greece slaves usually came from foreign countries. Therefore, the enslavement of a Greek hero by a Lydian Queen was nothing short of outrageous scandal; foreign women, being viewed as barbarians by Greek standards.

At this juncture however this ripping yarn takes a somewhat unexpected and provocative tone…..

During his enslavement, Hercules and Omphale inverted their gender roles: Hercules was to do what was traditionally ‘women’s work’ and wear women’s clothing. Meanwhile, Omphale wore Hercules’ Nemean lion skin, headdress and carried his club.

After some time in her service Omphale freed Hercules and took him as her husband.

The relationship between Hercules and Omphale inspired a number of paintings in the Renaissance and Baroque periods, with the pair depicted as lovers, each with the recognizable attributes that codified gender roles at the time.

And so this particular episode in the story of Hercules has remained popular through the centuries because it gave artists’ license to explore erotic themes and gender roles in an unprecedented manner.