Hercules and the Nemean lion, and Diana thumbnail 1
Hercules and the Nemean lion, and Diana thumbnail 2
Not on display

Hercules and the Nemean lion, and Diana

Knife Handle
ca. 1680 (made)
Artist/Maker
Unknown
Place of origin
Germany (made)

This virtuoso ivory was made in ca. 1690 in Germany and was probably the handle of a dagger or hunting knife. Hercules breaks the jaw of the Nemean lion, and below Diana, accompanied by her hounds, chasing a stag, blows on her horn.The figure of Hercules is reminiscent of Christoph Maucher's figure of Hercules in the Bode Museum, Berlin of ca. 1682. The slender proportions of the figure of Diana recall French sources, such as artists working in the wake of the sculptor Barthélemy Prieur (c.1536-1611).

Object details

Categories
Sculpture
Eating
Object type
Knife handle
TitleHercules and the Nemean lion, and Diana (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Carved ivory
Ivory
Brief description
Knife handle, ivory, Hercules and the Nemean lion and Diana, Germany, ca. 1680
Physical description
Hercules breaks the jaw of the Nemean Lion, and below the huntress Diana, accompanied by her hounds, chasing a stag, blows on her horn.
Dimensions
  • Length: 12.9cm
Content description
Carved ivory knife handle depicting above, Hercules and the Nemean lion, below Diana with a horn accompanied by her hounds.
Credit line
Alfred Williams Hearn Gift
Object history
Given by Mrs Ellen Hearn, Villa St Louis, Menton in 1923; this and other objects presented at the same time were labelled as the Alfred Williams Hearn gift.
Subjects depicted
Lions (Animals)
Dogs
Hercules
Diana
Hercules Overcoming the Nemean Lion
Summary
This virtuoso ivory was made in ca. 1690 in Germany and was probably the handle of a dagger or hunting knife. Hercules breaks the jaw of the Nemean lion, and below Diana, accompanied by her hounds, chasing a stag, blows on her horn.The figure of Hercules is reminiscent of Christoph Maucher's figure of Hercules in the Bode Museum, Berlin of ca. 1682. The slender proportions of the figure of Diana recall French sources, such as artists working in the wake of the sculptor Barthélemy Prieur (c.1536-1611).
Bibliographic references
  • Longhurst, Margaret H. Catalogue of Carvings in Ivory. London: Published under the Authority of the Board of Education, 1927-1929, Part II, p. 94
  • Trusted, Marjorie, Baroque & Later Ivories, Victoria & Albert Museum, London, 2013 p. 421
  • Trusted, Marjorie, Baroque & Later Ivories, Victoria & Albert Museum, London, 2013, p. 421, cat. no. 432
Collection
Sculpture Collection
Accession number
A.56-1923

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Record createdOctober 26, 2004
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O106758/hercules-and-the-nemean-lion-knife-handle-unknown/
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