this painting, done by kassel's court painter johann heinrich tischbein d. ä. in 1754, has a special charm. it is part of a permanent exhibition in the 'neue galerie kassel' and for a few years it has caught my attention several times. there is nothing special about this painting apart from the fact that it is pretty big in size. i do not know the exact story or legend that is put into a painting here. the title of the picture is 'hercules and omphale', so i guess these are the two main characters depicted here (there is also a female servant in the background, but she is not the focus).

the reason for my fascination is in the personality of omphale. she is the typical baroque ideal - luminous white skin with red lips and rosy cheeks, porcelain-doll face with a strange, almost alien shape. but her expression is so delicate in the picture i am instantly reminded of what is said about the smile of the mona lisa. no matter how hard i try, she escapes my pen. my attempts over the years have become a wide description of aspects of her personality but never what i really see there in the picture. i keep stopping by, maybe just wondering whether anything in her mystery has changed. but she keeps it for herself.