Statuette of Hercules
Mid–late 1st century
Medium
Bronze
Dimensions
22 × 11.4 × 8.6 cm (8 11/16 × 4 1/2 × 3 3/8 in.)
Classification
statuette
Department
Arts of Greece, Rome, and Byzantium
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
52764
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
The weary hero Hercules stands at rest after completing his Eleventh Labor: stealing three golden apples from a tree guarded by nymphs known as the Hesperides. Here, he holds the apples behind his back. Originally his left arm was supported by his club, which was cast separately and is now missing. This statuette is a copy of the lost masterpiece of Herakles by the Greek sculptor Lysippos, which became one of the definitive images of Hercules in classical antiquity and into the Renaissance in th...
About the Artist
Ancient Roman
The artists attributed to "Ancient Roman" in museum collections represent the anonymous craftsmen who produced the vast output of sculpture, frescoes, mosaics, and reliefs defining Roman visual culture from the Republic (c. 509–27 BCE) to the late Empire (c. 395 CE). Individual identities remain elusive, as Roman makers were typically viewed as skilled tradesmen—often enslaved Greeks or provincial...