Sketch of sculpture, Hercules
date unknown
Medium
Drawing
Classification
Drawing
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution; gift of Sally Adler with heartfelt gratitude to Emma Joy Linen Dana, George L. Linenâs great-granddaughter, and her four devoted sons, Richard, John, Andrew, and Gordon
Accession Number
AD/NPG.2018.1.23
Tags
Art Historical Context
Behold the *Sketch of Sculpture, Hercules a delicate drawing by George Linen (1802–1888), an American artist whose life spanned the early 19th century. Captured in an unknown date, this preparatory work depicts the mighty mythological hero Hercules, likely standing triumphantly on a pedestal while wielding his iconic club—a symbol of his superhuman strength and legendary Twelve Labors. Housed in the Smithsonian American Art Museum collection (with credit to the National Portrait Gallery, Institution), it exemplifies the era's fascination with classical antiquity, revived through neoclassical i...