Hercules Delivering the Erymanthean Boar to Eurystheus by François Lespingola

Hercules Delivering the Erymanthean Boar to Eurystheus

1675 - 1699

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Artwork details

Medium
bronze, sculpture
Dimensions
Overall, maximum dims (confirmed): 16 3/8 × 14 [edge of base to cuff of sleeve] × 11 1/4 in. [boar crest to boar hoof], 32.8 lb. (41.6 × 35.6 × 28.6 cm, 14.9 kg) Base: 12 3/4 × 6 1/4 in. (32.4 × 15.9 cm)
Location
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Copyright
Public Domain

Tags

#baroque#sculpture#bronze#figuration#sculpture#history-painting#decorative-art

About this artwork

François Lespingola created "Hercules Delivering the Erymanthean Boar to Eurystheus" in bronze. The sculpture presents a scene from Greek mythology, reflecting the 17th-century French court's fascination with classical antiquity, and its use as a tool of power. Here, Hercules, the epitome of masculine strength, presents the captured boar. Eurystheus, in contrast, is depicted in a posture of fear, cowering within a vessel. The sculpture tells a story of power dynamics, exploring the contrast between heroic action and fearful authority. Lespingola challenges traditional representations of power, portraying the ruler as weak and dependent on the hero's strength. It's an interesting psychological portrait that reveals the vulnerabilities of power. In its emotional resonance, this artwork speaks to the complexities of leadership, and the personal dimensions behind monumental myths.

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