Statue of Hercules

A.D. 100–200

Medium

Marble with polychromy; gilding

Dimensions

116.8 × 58 cm

Status

In Museum Collection

Collect24 Art ID

C24-230740

Hercules stands with his weight on his right leg, and his left foot drawn back. His characteristic lionskin hangs from his left forearm. Traces of blue and purple pigments are preserved on the lion's head. The recent detection of trace amounts of gold on the lionskin, coinciding with the presence of a purplish stain, may confirm that this area was originally decorated with gold. He extends his right arm, and his now missing right hand would have rested on his club. Around his thick, curly hair, the bearded hero wears a wreath of white poplar leaves and a fillet (ribbon) with the ends trailing over his shoulders. The fillet was the mark of an athletic victor, and the white poplar was associated with the Olympic Games, which Hercules was credited with founding. According to mythological tradition, Hercules imported white poplar from northwestern Greece, and it was the only wood used to fuel the altars at Olympia. Statues such as this one were extremely popular, commonly appearing in Greek and Roman gymnasiums, where athletes trained.