Hercules and Antaeus

Hercules and Antaeus

Title

Hercules and Antaeus

[Compton Verney, revised 2011]

Painting on wood

Medium

Painting on wood

[Compton Verney, revised 2011]

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

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.

FURTHER NOTES: Although Cranach made other paintings from the myth of Hercules, this painting is not known to be part of a larger set.

[Compton Verney, Warwickshire 2011]

Attribution
Lucas Cranach the Elder

Attribution

Lucas Cranach the Elder

[Compton Verney, revised 2011]
[Exhib. Cat. Brussels 2010, 152, no. 88]
[Exhib. Cat. Hamburg 2003, 180, no. 71]
[Exhib. Cat. Berlin 1937, no. 78]

Production dates
about 1530
about 1520-1530

Production dates

about 1530

[Compton Verney, revised 2011]
[Exhib. Cat. Hamburg 2003, no. 71]
[Friedländer, Rosenberg 1978, 122, no. 268]
[Exhib. Cat. Berlin 1937, no. 78]

about 1520-1530

[Exhib. Cat. Brussels 2010, 152]

Dimensions
Dimensions of support: 26.5 x 17.5 cm

Dimensions

  • Dimensions of support: 26.5 x 17.5 cm

  • [Compton Verney, revised 2011]

  • [Exhib. Cat. Brussels 2010, 152]

Signature / Dating

Artist's insignia at the top right: winged serpent with elevated wings facing left

Signature / Dating

  • Artist's insignia at the top right: winged serpent with elevated wings facing left

Owner
Compton Verney, Warwickshire
Repository
Compton Verney, Warwickshire
Location
Warwickshire
CDA ID
GB_CVW_0381N
FR (1978) Nr.
FR268
Persistent Link
https://lucascranach.org/en/GB_CVW_0381N/

Provenance

  • A. S. Drey, Munich
  • 17-18 June 1936, sold at Paul Gaupe, Berlin. Price 3,100 Reichsmarks. Forced sale of liquidation stocks.
  • 1937 Private collection, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany
  • Achibald Blomefield Russell, CVO, FSA (1879-1955), London
  • 5 December 2002 purchased by the Galerie Neuse Kunsthandel, Bremen, Germany at the auction house Nagel, Stuttgart. (Sold Pursuant to a settlement agreement with the successors of A. S. Drey. This owner sold the painting at Sotheby's, 9 July, 2008).
  • 2008 09.07 purchased by the Peter Moores Foundation from the Galerie Neuse Kunsthandel, Bremen, Germany (lot number 64, Sotheby's, London)

[Compton Verney, revised 2011]
[Exhib. Cat. Brussels 2010, 152]

Exhibitions

Berlin 1937, no. 78
Hamburg 2003, no. 71
Frankfurt , London 2007/2008, no. 109
Brussels, Paris 2010/2011, no. 88
Düsseldorf 2017, no. 136

Literature

Reference on page Catalogue Number Figure / Plate
Exhib. Cat. Düsseldorf 2017 236 No. 136
EditorGunnar Heydenreich, Daniel Görres, Beat Wismer
TitleLucas Cranach der Ältere. Meister - Marke - Moderne. [anlässlich der Ausstellung "Cranach. Meister - Marke - Moderne", Stiftung Museum Kunstpalast, Düsseldorf, 08. April 2017 - 30. Juli 2017]
Place of PublicationMunich
Year of Publication2017
Show Literature
Exhib. Cat. Paris 2011 152 088
EditorGuido Messling
TitleCranach et son temps [Paris, Musée du Luxembourg]
Place of PublicationParis
Year of Publication2011
Show Literature
Aikema 2010 26 Fig. 9, p. 27
AuthorBernard Aikema
TitleCranach. A different Renaissance
Publicationin Anna Coliva, Bernhard Aikema, eds., Cranach l'altro rinascimento, a different Renaissance, Exhib.Cat. Rome
Place of PublicationRome
Year of Publication2010
Pages13-33
Show Literature
Exhib. Cat. Brussels 2010 152-153 88 p. 153
EditorBozarbooks & Lannoo, Guido Messling
TitleDie Welt des Lucas Cranach. Ein Künstler im Zeitalter von Dürer, Tizian und Metsys [anlässlich der Ausstellung "Die Welt des Lucas Cranach", Palast der Schönen Künste, Brüssel, 20. Oktober 2010 - 23. Januar 2011]
Place of PublicationBrussels
Year of Publication2010
Show Literature
Auct. Cat. London 2008 A Lot 64
EditorSotheby's Auction House, London
TitleOld Master Paintings, Sotheby's London, 9 July 2008
Place of PublicationLondon
Year of Publication2008
Show Literature
Hinz 2008 25-29 Fig. 5
AuthorBerthold Hinz
TitleAnatomie eines Zweikampfes. Hans Baldung Grien: Herkules und Antäus
Place of PublicationMunich, Berlin
Year of Publication2008
Show Literature
Evans 2007 58
AuthorMark Evans
Title"Die Italiener, sonst so ruhmsüchtig, bieten Dir die Hand": Lucas Cranach und die Kunst des Humanismus
Publicationin Bodo Brinkmann, ed., Cranach der Ältere, Exhib. Cat. Frankfurt
Place of PublicationOstfildern
Year of Publication2007
Pages49-61
Show Literature
Exhib. Cat. Frankfurt 2007 346-347 109 p. 347
EditorBodo Brinkmann
TitleCranach der Ältere, [Frankfurt, Städel Museum, 23 Nov 2007 - 17 Feb 2008]
Place of PublicationOstfildern
Year of Publication2007
Show Literature
Leithe-Jasper 2006 145
AuthorManfred Leithe-Jasper
TitleHerkules und Antaeus. Gedanken zur 'Sfortuna' einer einst vielbewunderten antiken Skulptur
Publicationin Städelscher Museums-Verein, supervised by Peter C. Bol, Das Modell in der bildenden Kunst des Mittelalters und der Neuzeit. Festschrift für Herbert Beck
Place of PublicationPetersberg
Year of Publication2006
Show Literature
Exhib. Cat. Hamburg 2003 75, 180 071 Pl. 71
EditorBucerius Kunst Forum, Werner Schade
TitleLucas Cranach. Glaube, Mythologie und Moderne [Bucerius Kunst Forum, Hamburg]
Place of PublicationOstfildern-Ruit
Year of Publication2003
Show Literature
Koepplin 2003 C 162, fn. 11
AuthorDieter Koepplin
TitleEin Cranach-Prinzip
Publicationin Heinz Spielmann, Werner Schade, eds., Lucas Cranach. Glaube, Mythologie und Moderne, Exhib. Cat. Hamburg 2003
Place of PublicationOstfildern-Ruit
Year of Publication2003
Pages144-165
Show Literature
Auct. Cat. Stuttgart 2002 214 Lot 593
EditorNagel Auktionen, Stuttgart
TitleNagel Auktionen, Stuttgart, 386. Auktion 5./6. Dezember 2002
Place of PublicationStuttgart
Year of Publication2002
Show Literature
Friedländer, Rosenberg 1979 123 No. 268 Fig. 268
AuthorMax J. Friedländer, Jakob Rosenberg
EditorG. Schwartz
TitleDie Gemälde von Lucas Cranach
Place of PublicationBasel, Boston, Stuttgart
Year of Publication1979
Show Literature
Schade 1974 70 Fig. 105
AuthorWerner Schade
TitleDie Malerfamilie Cranach
Place of PublicationDresden
Year of Publication1974
Link http://digi.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/diglit/schade1974
Show Literature
Posse 1943 Fig. 92
AuthorHans Posse
TitleLucas Cranach d. Ä.
Place of PublicationVienna
IssueSecond edition
Year of Publication1943
Show Literature
Posse 1942 Fig. 92
AuthorHans Posse
TitleLucas Cranach d. Ä.
Place of PublicationVienna
Year of Publication1942
Show Literature
Exhib. Cat. Berlin 1937 32 078 Pl. 70
EditorStaatliche Museen, Berlin
TitleLucas Cranach d. Ä. und Lucas Cranach d. J. Gemälde, Zeichnungen, Graphik
Place of PublicationBerlin
Year of Publication1937
Show Literature
Friedländer, Rosenberg 1932 219
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 Antaeus, about 1530

Images

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Documents

Technical studies

10.07.2018Technical examination / Scientific analysis

  • Infrared reflectography

Underdrawing

Summary of report:

- no distinct carbon-based underdrawing, possibly an infrered transparent medium like red paint or red chalk.

[see attached pdf]

  • examined by Tager Stonor Richardson

10. 2010Technical examination / Scientific analysis

  • Infrared reflectography
  • irr

Underdrawing

DESCRIPTION

Tools/Materials:

- the design was possibly fixed with a very diluted fluid medium and a brush

Type/Ductus:

- barely visible

Function:

- binding for the final painted version; lines delineate contours and describe the essential details; possible representation of volume?

Deviations:

- hardly any alterations made during the painting process to clearly define form

INTERPRETATION

Attribution:

- not possible

[Smith, Sandner, Heydenreich, cda 2012]

  • photographed by Gunnar Heydenreich
  • photographed by Ingo Sandner

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/GB_CVW_0381N/ (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/GB_CVW_0381N/ (Accessed {{dateAccessed}})

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