Ercole e il centauro Nesso"Hercules and the Centaur Nessus is a marble statue by the sculptor Giambologna, placed in the Loggia dei Lanzi in Florence.
Giambologna's Italianate name of Jean Boulogne (Douai 1529-Florence 1608) sculptor had come from Flanders to Rome in 1550 (?) To consider deeply for Italian spirit and education, and he was able to receive instruction Michelangelo and find the measure of mannerism .
This sculptural group was placed first, in 1599, on the Song of Carnesecchi in Florence, then moved under the loggia of the Uffizi, the south side, and later was placed on the square which is located close to the Ponte Vecchio, on the left bank of 'Arno and, in 1812, found its permanent seat in the Loggia dei Lanzi in Piazza della Signoria.
The sculpture is characterized by great strength plastic expressed by the mighty twist, almost elastic body of the centaur Nessus, bent by the force of Hercules."
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Hercules"Hercules is the Roman name for the Greek divine hero Heracles, who was the son of Zeus (Roman equivalent Jupiter) and the mortal Alcmene. In classical mythology, Hercules is famous for his strength and for his numerous far-ranging adventures.
The Romans adapted the Greek hero's iconography and myths for their literature and art under the name Hercules. In later Western art and literature and in popular culture, Hercules is more commonly used than Heracles as the name of the hero. Hercules was a multifaceted figure with contradictory characteristics, which enabled later artists and writers to pick and choose how to represent him."
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Centaur Nessus"In Greek mythology, Nessus was a famous centaur who was killed by Heracles, and whose tainted blood in turn killed Heracles. He was the son of Centauros. He fought in the battle with the Lapiths. He became a ferryman on the river Euenos.
Nessus is known for his role in the story of the Tunic of Nessus. After carrying Deianeira, the wife of Heracles, across the river, he attempted to steal her away. Heracles saw this from across a river and shot a Hydra-poisoned arrow into Nessus's breast. As a final act of malice, Nessus told Deianeira, as he lay dying, that his blood would ensure that Heracles would be true to her forever.
Deianeira foolishly believed him. Later, when her trust began to wane because of Iole, she spread the centaur's blood on a shirt and gave it to her husband. Heracles went to a gathering of heroes, where his passion got the better of him. Meanwhile, Deianeira accidentally spilled a portion of the centaur's blood onto the floor. To her horror, it began to fume by the light of the rising sun.
She instantly recognized it as poison and sent her messenger to warn Heracles but it was too late. Heracles lay dying slowly and painfully as the shirt burned his skin—either in actual flames or by the heat of poison. He died a noble death on a funeral pyre of oak branches, and was taken to Mount Olympus by Zeus and welcomed amongst the gods for his heroic exploits. A similar theme appears in certain versions of the story of Medea."
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