The pose of this bronze is clearly derived from Giambologna's treatment of the same subject, which is itself indebted to the bronze Hercules and Antaeus by Pollaiuolo. The positioning of Hercules is virtually identical in all three compositions, however the Antaeus figure in the present group represents a significant departure from its two predecessors. Here, the upper torso of Antaeus cranes back in a greater expression of agony, and his left hand is raised in the air to give a more dramatic silhouette to the bronze. This drama is further heightened by the exaggerated musculature of both figures, and the highly expressive nature of the faces, in particular that of the dying Antaeus. It is exactly these elements which suggest a northern follower of Giambologna as the likely author of the present group. It can be compared, for example, with a Netherlandish boxwood group of the same subject in the Victoria and Albert Museum dated to around 1550-60 (inventory number A.1-1951).