Etruscan Bronze Figure Fighting Herakles / Hercules

Classical World, Ancient Tuscany, Lazio, and Umbria, Etruria, ca. 4th to 3rd century BCE. An impressive cast-bronze figurine of the ancient hero Hercle - Roman Hercules, Greek Herakles - formed using the lost-wax (cire perdue) method. Enveloped in a rich green patina, the mythic hero presents with a slender body and round head featuring a straight mouth, a flat nose, almond-shaped eyes, and an angled brow below a full-head of straight hair in a bowl cut. As evident in this example, Etruscan art from this period shows the clear influence of Classical Greek models, with fluid poses and a desire to present naturalistic features. Thus, our hero is posed dynamically here, displaying an exaggerated contrapposto, as he lifts his left leg as though stepping forward. The skin of the Nemean lion cascades from his left forearm, while he raises his right hand angrily in a fist that previously held a club, possibly about to strike a rival. Size: 2.3" W x 4.2" H (5.8 cm x 10.7 cm); 5.6" H (14.2 cm) on included custom stand.

The Etruscans were in contact with the Greek colonies in southern Italy throughout their existence and much of their trade and artwork connections were more closely related to the Greeks than to the Romans with whom they are more often associated. Etruria - modern day Tuscany, Lazio, and Umbria - was rich in metals, including copper, and the Etruscans drew upon their native resources to become master bronzesmiths. Votive figures like this one were traded far and wide according to Pliny the Elder. Titus Livius records that when the consul Marcus Fluvius Flaccus conquered the Etruscan city of Volsinii, they took a line of wagons, including two thousand bronze statues, to Rome, where they were melted down to make coinage to finance the war against Carthage.

Hercle was incredibly popular in ancient Etruria, with scenes from his myth depicted over and over again in all forms of art. The iconography of this bronze references the legendary hero's first labor when King Eurystheus asked Hercle to bring him the skin of a fierce lion that terrorized the hillside around Nemea - a seemingly impossible task. Despite the fact that initially Hercle's arrows were utterly useless against this threatening beast, our hero ultimately succeeded, clutching the lion in his muscular arms all the while strategically avoiding its claws, finally choking it to death. A marvelous rendering of Hercle displaying the ancient artist's strong interest in delineating physiognomy and movement of Hercle's heroic yet human form.

Provenance: private New York, New York, USA collection; ex-Hannam's Auctions, Selborne, Hampshire, UK, February 22, 2021, from an old estate

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#169065
Condition Report: Loss of club in proper right hand. Expected nicks, abrasions, and loss of detail, commensurate with age. Screw attached to proper right foot for attachment to stand. Otherwise, excellent with rich patina and light earthen deposits.