Hercules and Antaeus

Title

[Friedländer, Rosenberg 1979, 123, No. 269]

Painting on beech wood

Medium

Painting on beech wood	[cda 2017] [Klein report, 08.04.2013]
red beech wood	[Exhib. Cat. Basel 1974, 611-612, no. 523]
oak wood	[Friedländer, Rosenberg 1979, 123, no. 269] [Hutter 1972, 39]

This painting, one of only two known versions of the subject by Cranach, depicts an episode in the Twelve Labours of Hercules: the fight to the death between Greek hero Hercules and the giant Antaeus, son of Poseidon and Gaia, gods of the Sea and Earth. This adventure occurred on Hercules' journey to complete his eleventh task. Antaeus drew all his strength from the earth (his mother), and was thereby able to defeat all his previous opponents. Hercules realised this and, understanding the secret of the giant's invincibility, lifted him off the ground, crushing him to death. Cranach depicts this very moment here.

Attribution: Lucas Cranach the Elder

Attribution

Lucas Cranach the Elder

[Exhib. Cat. Hamburg 2003, no. 72]
[Friedländer, Rosenberg 1979, 123, no. 269]
[Exhib. Cat. Basel 1974, 611-612, no. 523]
[Hutter 1972, 39]

Production dates: about 1530 - 1535
about 1530

Production dates

about 1530 - 1535	[Exhib. Cat. Basel 1974, 611-612, No. 523]
about 1530	[Friedländer, Rosenberg 1979, 123, No. 269] [Exhib. Cat. Hamburg 2003, No. 72]

Dimensions: Dimensions of support: 39 x 26.5 cm

Dimensions

Dimensions of support: 39 x 26.5 cm
[Exhib. Cat. Basel 1974, 611-612, No. 523]

Signature / Dating: Artist's insignia at the lower left: serpent with elevated wings

Signature / Dating

Artist's insignia at the lower left: serpent with elevated wings

Owner: The Paintings Gallery of the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna
Repository: The Paintings Gallery of the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna
Location: Vienna

CDA ID: AT_AKBILD_GG-1148
FR (1978) Nr.: FR269
Persistent Link: https://lucascranach.org/en/AT_AKBILD_GG-1148/

Provenance

1892 aquired
[Friedländer, Rosenberg 1979, 123, No. 269]

Exhibitions

Vienna 1972
Basel 1974, no. 523
Hamburg 2003, no. 72

Literature

Reference on page

Catalogue Number

Figure / Plate

Exhib. Cat. Hamburg 2003

75, 180

072

Pl. 72

Editor	Bucerius Kunst Forum, Werner Schade
Title	Lucas Cranach. Glaube, Mythologie und Moderne [Bucerius Kunst Forum, Hamburg]
Place of Publication	Ostfildern-Ruit
Year of Publication	2003

Show Literature

Foister 2003

117

Fig. 1

Author	Susan Foister
Title	Cranachs Mythologien. Quellen und Originalität
Publication	in Heinz Spielmann, Werner Schade, eds., Lucas Cranach. Glaube, Mythologie und Moderne, Exhib. Cat. Hamburg 2003
Place of Publication	Ostfildern-Ruit
Year of Publication	2003
Pages	116-129

Show Literature

Friedländer, Rosenberg 1979

123

No. 269

Fig. 269

Author	Max J. Friedländer, Jakob Rosenberg
Editor	G. Schwartz
Title	Die Gemälde von Lucas Cranach
Place of Publication	Basel, Boston, Stuttgart
Year of Publication	1979

Show Literature

Exhib. Cat. Basel 1974/1976

No. 523

Author	Dieter Koepplin, Tilman Falk
Title	Lukas Cranach. Gemälde, Zeichnungen und Druckgraphik
Volume	1, 2
Place of Publication	Basel, Stuttgart
Year of Publication	1974
Link	http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bsz:16-diglit-104522

Show Literature

Exhib. Cat. Vienna 1972

Author	Karl Schütz
Editor	Kunsthistorisches Museum, Wien
Title	Lucas Cranach der Ältere und seine Werkstatt. Jubiläumsausstellung museumseigener Werke 1472-1972
Place of Publication	Vienna
Year of Publication	1972

Show Literature

Hutter 1972

Fig. 8

Author	Heribert Hutter
Title	Lucas Cranach der Ältere in der Akademie der Bildenden Künste in Wien
Place of Publication	Vienna
Year of Publication	1972

Show Literature

Friedländer, Rosenberg 1932

220

Author	Max J. Friedländer, Jakob Rosenberg
Title	Die Gemälde von Lucas Cranach
Place of Publication	Berlin
Year of Publication	1932
Link	http://digi.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/diglit/friedlaender1932

Show Literature

Hercules and Antaeus, about 1530 - 1535

Images

Documents

AT_AKBILD_GG-1148_FR269_2009_analysis-report.pdf

Technical studies

08.04.2013Scientific analysis

Dendrochronology / identification of wood species

AT_AKBILD_GG-1148_FR269_2009_analysis-report.pdf

Support

Identification of wood species: beech wood

[Klein report, 08.04.2013]

examined by Peter Klein

2005Technical examination / Scientific analysis

Infrared reflectography

Underdrawing

DESCRIPTION

Tools/Material:

- fluid, black medium and brush

Type/Ductus:

- freehand and economical underdrawing

- thin lines

- occasional hatching strokes

Function:

- relatively binding for the final painted version; the lines define the main contours and describe essential details and facial features; occasional use of hatching strokes to represent volume

Deviations:

- only minor corrections were made to forms during the painting process; small changes (e. g. position of Hercules‘ left foot)

INTERPRETATION

Attribution:

- Lucas Cranach the Elder or workshop

Comments:

- after a pre-existing design

[Sandner, Smith-Contini, Heydenreich, cda 2020]

photographed by Ernst Hammerschmid

2005Technical examination / Scientific analysis

UV-light photography

photographed by Ernst Hammerschmid

Condition Reports

Date1979

'The painting has been overcleaned.'

[Friedländer, Rosenberg 1979, 123, No. 269]

Citing from the Cranach Digital Archive

Entry with author: <author's name>, 'Hercules and Antaeus', <title of document, data entry or image>. [<Date of document or image>], in: Cranach Digital Archive, https://lucascranach.org/en/AT_AKBILD_GG-1148/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})
Entry with no author: 'Hercules and Antaeus', <title of document, data entry or image>. [<Date of document, entry or image>], in: Cranach Digital Archive, https://lucascranach.org/en/AT_AKBILD_GG-1148/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})

Help us to improve the Cranach Digital Archive.

Please contact us, if you have noticed a mistake.