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A work made of bronze.

Hercules and Lichas

1600–1625

Attributed to Pietro Tacca (Italian, 1577–1640) After Giambologna (Flemish, active Italy, 1529–1608)

Italy

Both this bronze and it’s companion depict the legendary labors of Hercules, a frequent subject in Renaissance and later art. The figures may derive from a lost series of silver statuettes after models by sculptor Giambologna and were likely cast by his leading workshop assistant, Pietro Tacca. They reflect Giambologna’s intense preoccupation with the human form in motion, which transforms a violent struggle into a ballet.

Bronze

Painting and Sculpture of Europe