Hercules and the Hydra

Hercules and the Hydra

Painting on beech wood

Medium

Painting on beech wood

[Klein, Report 1992]
[Cat. Braunschweig 1976, 15]
[Cat. Braunschweig 1969, 47, No. 713]

Hercules stands on the left side of the painting with his legs apart, holding a club in his left hand and wearing a fur robe. He lights a fire and the silvery, four-headed hydra visible on the right side behind a tree recoils. Behind Hercules is an expansive landscape. the

Hercules stands on the left side of the painting with his legs apart, holding a club in his left hand and wearing a fur robe. He lights a fire and the silvery, four-headed hydra visible on the right side behind a tree recoils. Behind Hercules is an expansive landscape. the panel is part of the series 'The Labours of Hercules'.

[Görres, cda 2012]

Attributions
Workshop Lucas Cranach the Elder
Lucas Cranach the Elder

Attributions

Workshop Lucas Cranach the Elder

[Friedländer, Rosenberg 1978, No. 408A]

Lucas Cranach the Elder

[Cat. Braunschweig 1976, 15]

Dating
after 1537

Dating

after 1537

[Friedländer, Rosenberg 1978, No. 408A]

Dimensions
Dimensions of support: 108 x 100 cm

Dimensions

  • Dimensions of support: 108 x 100 cm

  • [Cat. Braunschweig 1976, 15]

  • [Cat. Braunschweig 1969, 47, No. 713]

Signature / Dating

None

Inscriptions

- along the top edge: 'HERCVLEA LERNAE STERNITVR HYDRA MANV.'

[cda, 2013]

Inscriptions

Inscriptions:

  • - along the top edge:

  • 'HERCVLEA LERNAE STERNITVR HYDRA MANV.'

  • [cda, 2013]

Labels

Verso on the cradle:
Upper area stamped on the cradle:
"Herzog Anton Ulrich
Museum
713"

Bottom right area: Printed paper …

Labels

later inscription, stamps, seals, labels:

  • Verso on the cradle:

  • Upper area stamped on the cradle:

  • "Herzog Anton Ulrich

  • Museum

  • 713"

  • Bottom right area: Printed paper with handwritten information:

  • 'Herzog Anton Ulrich-Museum

  • Braunschweig 1986

  • Inv. Nr. 713

  • Künstler Cranach, L. d. Ä.

  • Titel H. u. die l. Schlange

  • Maße 108 x 100 cm'

Owner
Herzog Anton Ulrich-Museum, Braunschweig
Repository
Herzog Anton Ulrich-Museum, Braunschweig
Location
Braunschweig
CDA ID
DE_HAUMB_GG713
FR (1978) Nr.
FR408A
Persistent Link
https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_HAUMB_GG713/

Connected Works5

The Choice of Hercules
  • The Choice of Hercules, after 1537
  • DE_HAUMB_GG712
  • Painting
  • Herzog Anton Ulrich-Museum, Braunschweig
Hercules and the Arcadian Deer
  • Hercules and the Arcadian Deer, after 1537
  • DE_HAUMB_GG714
  • Painting
  • Herzog Anton Ulrich-Museum, Braunschweig
Hercules and Atlas
  • Hercules and Atlas, after 1537
  • DE_HAUMB_GG715
  • Painting
  • Herzog Anton Ulrich-Museum, Braunschweig
Hercules steals the Apples of the Hesperides
  • Hercules steals the Apples of the Hesperides, after 1537
  • DE_HAUMB_GG716
  • Painting
  • Herzog Anton Ulrich-Museum, Braunschweig

Connected Works

Provenance

- 1917 legacy of Frau Justizrat Hollandt

- 1917 legacy of Frau Justizrat Hollandt

[Cat. Braunschweig 1976, 15]

Literature

Reference on page Catalogue Number Figure / Plate
Friedländer, Rosenberg 1978 408A
AuthorMax J. Friedländer, Jakob Rosenberg
TitleThe Paintings of Lucas Cranach
Place of PublicationNew York
Year of Publication1978
Show Literature
Cat. Braunschweig 1976 15 713
AuthorSabine Jacob, Rüdiger Klessmann
TitleVerzeichnis der Gemälde vor 1800. Herzog Anton Ulrich-Museum Braunschweig
Place of PublicationBraunschweig
Year of Publication1976
Show Literature
Cat. Braunschweig 1969 47 713
Authorn. a.
TitleHerzog Anton Ulrich-Museum Braunschweig. Verzeichnis der Gemälde
Place of PublicationBraunschweig
Year of Publication1969
Show Literature
Friedländer, Rosenberg 1932 328A
AuthorMax J. Friedländer, Jakob Rosenberg
TitleDie Gemälde von Lucas Cranach
Place of PublicationBerlin
Year of Publication1932
Link http://digi.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/diglit/friedlaender1932
Show Literature
  • Hercules and the Hydra, after 1537

Images

Compare images
  • overall
  • reverse
  • irr

Download illustration

License: Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International

Documents

Technical studies

03. 2013Technical examination / Scientific analysis

  • Infrared reflectography
  • irr

Underdrawing

DESCRIPTION

Tools/Materials:

- fluid, black medium and brush

Type/Ductus:

- freehand underdrawing; barely visible

- thin lines

Function:

- binding for the final painted version; lines delineate contours; no representation of volume

Deviations:

- minor alterations made during the painting process to clearly define form

INTERPRETATION

Attribution:

- workshop of Lucas Cranach the Elder; or Lucas Cranach the Younger?

Comments:

- the veins are indicated with dark lines

[Smith, Sandner, Heydenreich, cda 2013]

  • photographed by Gunnar Heydenreich
  • photographed by Ingo Sandner

14.05.1992Scientific analysis

  • Identification of wood species / Dendrochronology

Support

Identification of wood species: beech wood

[Klein Report, 14.05.1992]

  • analysed by Peter Klein

Citing from the Cranach Digital Archive

Entry with author
<author's name>, 'Hercules and the Hydra', <title of document, data entry or image>. [<Date of document or image>], in: Cranach Digital Archive, https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_HAUMB_GG713/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})
Entry with no author
'Hercules and the Hydra', <title of document, data entry or image>. [<Date of document, entry or image>], in: Cranach Digital Archive, https://lucascranach.org/en/DE_HAUMB_GG713/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})

Help us to improve the Cranach Digital Archive.

Please contact us, if you have noticed a mistake.