Page:Cyclopedia of painters and paintings (IA cyclopediaofpain02cham).pdf/261

HERCULES AND THE HYDRA, Guido Reni, Louvre; canvas, H. 8 ft. 7 in × 6 ft. 6 in. Hercules, armed with the club, strikes the Lernean Hydra, which raises its head near a rock. Same history as Hercules and Achelous of Guido. Engraved by G. Rousselet.—Landon, Musée, ii. Pl. 30; Larousse, ix. 214.

Infant Hercules, Agostino Carracci (?), Louvre.

HERCULES, INFANT, attributed to Annibale, but probably by Agostino Carracci, Louvre; canvas, H. 6-1/2 in. × 5-1/2 in. The young Hercules strangles a serpent with his left hand while holding down a second one, which has twined about his right arm, with his knee upon his cradle. Formerly in Orleans Gallery, but not sold in England with the other pictures; bought in Rome for Musée Napoleon. Engraved by Ern. Marace; Count Bizemont-Prunélé.—Villot, Cat. Louvre; Musée français, i.; Filhol, i. Pl. 63; Landon, Musée, vi. Pl. 14.

HERCULES AND OMPHALE, Luca Giordano, Dresden Gallery; canvas, H. 7 ft. 6 in. × 9 ft. 2 in.; signed, dated 1690. Hercules, submissive to the charms of Omphale, has dropped his club and taken up the distaff; the two, who sit side by side, are surrounded by her companions. Painted for Don Andrea d'Avalos, Prince of Montesarchio. In catalogue of 1722. Engraved by C. Duflos.—Gal. Roy. de Dresde, i. Pl. 40.

By Alessandro Turchi, Munich Gallery; canvas, H. 5 ft. 1 in. × 7 ft. 3 in. The god, nude, seated in an antique chair, spinning; before him, Omphale, nearly nude, her back covered with the lion's skin, leans one arm on the hero's club, and glances at her companions, three other young women, who mock Hercules, while Cupid looks on with a pitying expression. Formerly attributed to Domenichino.

HERCULES STRANGLING THE SERPENTS, Sir Joshua Reynolds, Hermitage, St. Petersburg; canvas. In the centre Hercules grasps the serpents by the throat, while Iphicles cowers in terror beside him; on one side rushes in Alcmena, with attendants, half clad, as if aroused from sleep; on the other, Amphitryon, sword in hand, followed by servants with torches; Tiresias the blind seer (head of Samuel Johnson) stands by with uplifted hands; above, Juno looks down from black clouds at the baffling of her vengeance. Painted in 1788 for Catherine II. of Russia, who paid for it 1,500 guineas, and sent Sir Joshua in addition a gold snuff-box, on which was her portrait with cypher in diamonds. Engraved by J. Hodges, J. Walker; original sketch in possession of Lord Arran. Lord Fitzwilliam owns a repetition of the figure of the Hercules.—Leslie Taylor, ii. 482, 500, 516, 538; Pulling, 83; Northcote, ii. 214; Beechey, i. 244; Art Journal (1860), 358; Notes and Queries, 4th S., ix. 333; Atkinson, Art Tour, 248.

HERCULES, TEMPLE OF, Francia Bigio, Uffizi, Florence; wood. The statue of Hercules, on a pedestal, under the portico of a temple, with soldiers, philosophers, and others grouped around it. Of his late period. Probably part of a cassone or chest.—C. & C., Italy, iii. 512; Ch. Blanc. École florentine; Molini, Gal. di Firenze, ii. 61; Lasinio, i. Pl. 63.