Etruscan Large Bronze Figure of Herakles,"Trivento group", c. 4th-3rd Century B.C.

(Etruscan Herakles )

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Item No.
33.37223
Culture
Etruscan, c. 4th-3rd Century B.C. 
Item Details.
The young Herakles depicted nude in the typical combat pose, one foot advancing, left arm extended up, wearing cloak of lion’s skin, the other arm raised to hold the (now missing) club. Extremely fine details.
Herakles, or Hercle, was more god than hero to the Etruscans, as attested by the numerous sanctuaries dedicated to him, and the large number of surviving statuettes, which likely served a votive purpose. He is first recorded in Etruria in the 7th Century B.C. and his legendary exploits rapidly became a favourite subject of Etruscan imagery.

Provenance: Ruspoli collection; Private collection Ticino, Switzerland; With Galleria Serodine, Ascona, 1998; Private collection, Switzerland, acquired from the above 4 December 1999. Literature: For another statuette of attacking Herakles, see M. Comstock and C. Vermeule, Greek, Etruscan & Roman Bronzes in the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, Boston, 1971, p. 163, no. 185. In style, this figure seems to belong to the "Trivento group", a class of bronzes produced in Southwestern Italy - from these examples, it is clear this figure once held a club in the raised right hand (A.-M. Adam, Bronzes Étrusques et Italiques, Bibliothèque nationale, Département des Monnaies, Médailles et Antiques, Paris 1984, pp. 190, nos. 291-292).

Display stand included

Size
13 cm H - 5 1/8 inches
Material
Bronze 
Condition
Left foot missing, otherwise intact 
Categories
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Price.
US$ 6000
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