A ROMAN BRONZE GROUP OF HERCULES WRESTLING ANTAEUS

CIRCA 2ND-3RD CENTURY A.D.

Details

A ROMAN BRONZE GROUP OF HERCULES WRESTLING ANTAEUS
CIRCA 2ND-3RD CENTURY A.D.
The burly hero depicted nude, standing with his knees bent, his left leg flexed, his head tilted to his left and angled downward, with thick curly beard and wavy locks, lifting the earth giant Antaeus up in the air, Hercules gripping his opponent to his right with both arms around his waist, his hands clasped at his navel, Antaeus struggling to be freed, his left leg kicking back, his hands clasping Hercules's arms
6 1/8 in. (15.6 cm.) high

Provenance

with Galerie Samarcande, Paris.
with Royal-Athena Galleries, New York, 1983.

Lot Essay

Antaeus was the son of Gaia and Poseidon. Challenging all who passed his way to a wrestling match to the death, Antaeus was invincible as long as he kept contact with the earth, which supplied him with all of his strength. During their match, Hercules was able to defeat the giant by lifting him from the ground. For a bronze with a similar pose, in the Walters Art Gallery, see no. 77a in Olmos and Balmaseda, "Antaios" in LIMC.

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