Hercules and the Nemean Lion thumbnail 1
Hercules and the Nemean Lion thumbnail 2
Image of Gallery in South Kensington
On display at V&A South Kensington
Sculpture, Room 117

Hercules and the Nemean Lion

Roundel
late 15th century (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

This relief in bronze of Hercules and the Nemean Lion is made by Pier Jacopo Alari Bonacolso, called Antico, in the late 15th or early 16th century. It has though recently been suggested that is might be a fake (together with A.2-1959), executed by Salomon Weininger.
The relief corresponds with a relief in the Museo Nazionale, Florence, from which it differs in the absence of gilding on the cloak, tree and other areas and in the chasing of the tree trunk and the interior of the lion's mouth.
The legend of Hercules and the Nemean Lion reflects Hercules’ first labour set to him by Eurystheus, where he had to bring the skin of an unvulnerable lion, which terrorised the hills around the city of Nemea.


Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleHercules and the Nemean Lion (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Relief in bronze
Brief description
Roundel, bronze, Hercules and the Nemean Lion, Italian, perhaps late 15th or early 16th century or a perhaps a modern fake by Salomon Weininger
Physical description
The nude figure of Hercules is turned to the right, and is shown astride the lion on a shallow platform like that in 149-1882. His cloak, which is fastened at the neck, blows out behind him, and he forces open the upturned jaws of the lion with both hands. A quiver and bow are suspended from a tree on the right.
Dimensions
  • Diameter: 32.1cm
Object history
Purchased in Paris (Vicomtesse d'Harcourt, with A2-1959, for £2126 6s. 9d.), with the help of contributions from the Murray, Webb and Bryan Bequests. Previously in the Piot collection.

Historical significance: The relief corresponds with a relief in the Museo Nazionale, Florence, from which it differs in the absence of gilding on the cloak, tree and other areas and in the chasing of the tree trunk and the interior of the lion's mouth.
Production
or early 16th century or modern copy (fake): Manfred Leithe-Jasper suggests this and A.2-1959 are fakes by Salomon Weininger, known to have made copies after bronzes in the Este Collection, Vienna.
Subjects depicted
Summary
This relief in bronze of Hercules and the Nemean Lion is made by Pier Jacopo Alari Bonacolso, called Antico, in the late 15th or early 16th century. It has though recently been suggested that is might be a fake (together with A.2-1959), executed by Salomon Weininger.
The relief corresponds with a relief in the Museo Nazionale, Florence, from which it differs in the absence of gilding on the cloak, tree and other areas and in the chasing of the tree trunk and the interior of the lion's mouth.
The legend of Hercules and the Nemean Lion reflects Hercules’ first labour set to him by Eurystheus, where he had to bring the skin of an unvulnerable lion, which terrorised the hills around the city of Nemea.
Associated object
A.2-1959 (Set)
Bibliographic references
  • Pope-Hennessy, John. Catalogue of Italian Sculpture in the Victoria and Albert Museum. Volume I: Text. Eighth to Fifteenth Century. London: Her Majesty's Stationery Office, 1964, p. 323, cat. no. 356
  • Raggio, Olga. Catalogue of Italian Sculpture in the Victoria and Albertt Museum. Art Bulletin. Vol. L, 1968, p. 101
  • Allison, Ann Hersey. The Bronzes of Pier Jacopo Alari Bonacolsi called Antico, Vienna, 1994, pp. 45, 65-6, 74, 99-102, ill. p. 101
Collection
Accession number
A.1-1959

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Record createdJune 24, 2009
Record URL
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