Hercules and Telephe - Paris, France
Posted by: Groundspeak Premium Member Metro2
N 48° 51.666 E 002° 20.138
31U E 451271 N 5412227
This statue of Hercules and his son is located in the Louvre Museum in Paris.
Waymark Code: WMEDDE
Location: Île-de-France, France
Date Posted: 05/11/2012
Published By:Groundspeak Premium Member saopaulo1
Views: 18

This 11th century marble sculpture depicts Hercules,naked but for a scarf and a helmet worn on the back of his head, carries his son Telelphe in his right arm while casually holding a cane or staff in his left. A young deer stands behind the pair and stares at the child.

The Louvre' website (visit link) informs us:

"Télèphe est le fils d'Héraclès et d'Augé. Dès l'Antiquité, deux séries de traditions relatent les circonstances de sa naissance : les unes remontant à des sources épiques, les autres utilisées par les tragiques. Ce groupe statuaire fait allusion au deuxième courant. Télèphe, séparé de sa mère vendue comme esclave, fut abandonné dans les montagnes et nourri par une biche. Recueilli par un berger, il fut ensuite élevé par le roi Corythos qui l'appela Télèphe, nom dans lequel nous retrouvons le mot grec « élaphos » signifiant « cerf » ou « biche ».
Le groupe d'Héraclès portant son fils mesure 2,43 m. Il s'agit sans doute d'une copie romaine de l'époque antonine, d'une œuvre originale pergaménienne du IVe siècle av. J.-C., analogue à la statue d'Eiréné portant Ploutos de Céphisodote ou à celle d'Hermès portant l'enfant Dionysos de Praxitèle.
Des adaptations romaines des originaux venant de Pergame, près de deux fois plus grandes que nature, ont été conçues pour décorer les colossales réalisations architecturales des bains et palais de Rome.
Héraclès, la léonté couvrant la tête et les épaules, tient la massue de la main droite et de l'autre un petit enfant. Une biche fait partie du groupe, levant la tête vers l'enfant. Sur cette statue et sur les deux autres copies assez proches, à Wilton House et au Metropolitan Museum, nous remarquons le mouvement exagéré de la hanche, qui apparaît encore plus perceptible ici, avec Télèphe contrebalançant la composition. Par ailleurs, on peut rapprocher la tête d'Héraclès d'une peinture de Pompéi sur le même sujet."

which Google translates as:

"Telephus is the son of Heracles and Auge. Since ancient times, two sets of traditions relate the circumstances of his birth: some sources dating back to epic, the other used by the tragic. This statuary group refers to the second current. Telephus, separated from his mother sold as a slave, was abandoned in the mountains and nourished by a doe. Raised by a shepherd, he was then elevated by King Telephus Corythos who called, name in which we find the Greek word "élaphos" meaning "deer" or "doe."
The group of Heracles with his son as 2.43 m. This is probably a Roman copy of the Antonine period, an original work Pergamene the fourth century BC. AD, like the statue of Eirene with Plutus of Cephisodotus or that of Hermes carrying the infant Dionysus by Praxiteles.
Roman adaptations of originals from Pergamum, nearly twice larger than life, were designed to decorate the colossal architectural achievements of the baths and palaces of Rome.
Hercules, the lion skin covering the head and shoulders, the club holds the right hand and the other a small child. A doe is part of the group, looking up at the child. In this statue and the other two copies rather close, at Wilton House and the Metropolitan Museum, we note the exaggerated movement of the hip, which is even more noticeable here, with Telephus offsetting the composition. Moreover, we can relate the Herakles head of a painting from Pompeii on the same subject."

Hercules (known as Herakles by the Greeks) was the demi-god son of Zeus known for his many heroic acts. Read more about him at (visit link)
Time Period: Ancient

Approximate Date of Epic Period: c.800 BC

Epic Type: Mythical

Exhibit Type: Figure, Statue, 3D Art

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