Heracles and Lernean Hydra

In its 'second labour' the hero Hercules had the mission to kill a monstrous hydra which attacked the herds in the Peloponnese region of Lerna.

No seu 'segundo trabalho' o heroico Hercules tinha por missão matar uma hidra monstruosa que atacava os rebanhos na região peloponésica de Lerna.

Gustave Moreau (1826-1898)-'Heracles and Lernean Hydra'-oil on canmvas-1876    Chicago-Art Institute

Antonio del Pollaiolo (ca 1430-1498)-'Heracles and Lernean Hydra'-tempera on panel-ca 1475    Firenze-Galleria degli Uffizi

John Singer Sargent (1856-1925)-'Heracles and Lernean Hydra'-oil on canmvas-1921    Boston-Museum of Fine Arts

Eagle painter (6th century BCE)-'Herakles, Iolaos, and the Lernean Hydra (on the belly)'-hydria-etruscan-(black figures)-ca 525 BCE    Malibu-J. Paul Getty Museum (83.AE.346)

Hans Sebald Beham (1500-1550)-'Hercules slaying the Hydra'-1545    Private collections (from Labours of Hercules 1542-1548)

Heracles fighting the Lernaean Hydra

In his second work, Heracles faces the Lernaean Hydra and manages to put an end to its existence, for the benefit of the local people.

No segundo trabalho, Heracles enfrenta a Hidra de Lerna e consegue por fim à sua existência, para benefício das populações locais.

Attr. To the Eagle painter-'Heracles fighting the Lernaean Hydra'-(black figure)-hydria-Caere-ca 525 BC   Malibu-J. Paul Getty Museum (83 AE 346)

Attr. Diosphos painter-'Athena, Heracles attacked by the crab and the Lernaean Hydra'-attic-(black figure)-lekythos-(500-480 BC)   Paris-Musée du Louvre (CA 598)

Attr. Syleus painter-'Heracles fighting the Lernaean Hydra'-attic-(red-figure)-stamnos-(550-500 BC)   Palermo-Museo Archeologico Regional (V 763)

Prometheus painter-'Heracles, Iolaus and Lernaean Hydra'-attic-(black figure)-amphora- (560-555 BC)   Paris-Musée du Louvre (E 851)

Attr. Kleophrades painter-'Heracles 2nd labor'-attic-(red-figure)-volute krater-ca 490 BC    Malibu-J. Paul Getty Museum (77 AE 11)

Heracles and Omphale

In a fit of madness Heracles killed Iphitus, son of Eurytus, king of Oechalia. The oracle of Delphi determined his sale as a slave to compensate the family of the deceased. Omphale, queen of Lydia, bought him on the condition that he provided services for three years. During this period the Caledonian boar hunt took place there. Omphale and Heracles had a love affair which resulted in a child. Some painters represent Heracles wearing women's clothes and Omphale holding his club and wearing the hero’s lion skin.

Num acesso de loucura Héracles matou Ífito, filho de Eurito, rei da Ecália. O oráculo de Delfos determinou a sua venda como escravo para compensação da família do morto. Ónfale, rainha da Lídia, adquiriu-o com a condição de prestar serviços durante três anos. Durante este período ocorreu a caçada ao javali da Caledónia. Envolveram-se num caso amoroso do qual resultou um filho. Alguns pintores representam Héracles com roupas femininas e Ónfale com a clava e a pele de leão do herói.

François Lemoyne (1688-1777)-'Heracles and Omphale'-oil on canvas-1724 Paris-Musée du Louvre

Johann Heinrich Tischbein the elder or Kasseler (1722-1789)-'Heracles and Omphale'- oil on canvas-1754

Francesco Giovanni Romanelli (1610-1650)-'Heracles and Omphale'-oil on canvas-1650 St Petersburg-Hermitage

Lucas Cranach the elder (1472-1553)-'Heracles and Omphale's maids'-oil on wood-1537 Braunschweig-Herzog Anton Ulrich Museum

Bartholomäus Spranger (1546-1611)-'Heracles and Omphale'-oil on copper-1585 Wien-Kunsthistoriches Museum

Deianeira and Heracles (Dejanira e Héracles)

The centaur Nessus promised to help Heracles and Deianeira, his third wife, to cross a river. After carrying the young woman, the centaur raped her. The hero killed Nessus with one of the poisoned arrows with Hydra of Lerna’s blood. Before dying, Nessus offered Deianeira his bloodstained tunic. When Heracles fell in love with another woman Deianeira clothed him with Nessus’s tunic and he died in excruciating pain.

O centauro Nessus prometeu ajudar Heracles e Dejanira, sua terceira mulher, a transpor um rio. O centauro após passar a jovem violou-a. O herói matou-o com uma das flechas envenenadas com o sangue da Hidra de Lerna. Nessus antes de morrer ofereceu a Dejanira a sua túnica ensanguentada. Quando Heracles se apaixonou por outra mulher Dejanira vestiu-lhe a túnica de Nessus e este morreu com dores insuportáveis.

Painter of Vatican 309-'Heracles, Deianeira and Nessos'-attic hydria-black figures-(575-550 BC) Paris-Musée du Louvre (E 803)

Unknown 16th century-'wedding of Heracles and Deianeira'-maiolica-Urbino

Sebastiano Ricci (1659-1737)-'Heracles in the fight against Centaur'-fresco-(1706-1707) Firenze-Palazzo Marucelli-Fenzi

Jan Gossaert or Mabuse (1474-1532)-'Heracles and Deianeira'-oil on canvas-1517 Birmingham (UK)-University (Barber Institute of Fine Arts)

Guido Reni (1575-1642)-'rape of Deianeira'-oil on canvas-(1620-1621) Paris-Musée du Louvre

Héracles e o leão de Nemeia (Hercules and the Nemean lion)

O primeiro dos 'Doze Trabalhos de Héracles ou Hércules' denomina-se Héracles e o leão de Nemeia. O leão atacava a população desta região ocidental do Peloponeso. Héracles encarregou-se de o atacar e vencer.

The first of the 'Twelve labours of Heracles or Hercules' is called Heracles and slay of the Nemean lion. The lion attacked the population of the western Peloponnese. Heracles fought against it and won.

Attr. To Kleophrades painter-'Hercules wrestling the Nemean lion'-stamnos-attic-(red-figure)-ca 490 BC Philadelphia-University of Pennsylvania Museum (Philadelphia L-64-185)

Painter of London 620-'Hercules and the Nemean lion'-oinochoe-attic-(black-figure)-Vulci-(520-500 BC) London-British Museum (London E 621)

Group of London B 174-'Heracles and the Nemean lion'-amphora attic-(black-figure)-ca 540 BC Paris-Musée du Louvre (F 33)

Hans Sebald Beham (1500-1550)-'Hercules killing the Nemean lion'-engraving Private collection (from The Labours of Hercules 1548)

Francisco de Zurbarán (1598-1664)-'Hercules fighting the Nemean lion'-oil on canvas-1634 Madrid-Museo del Prado