The Cleveland Museum of Art

Collection Online as of December 18, 2025

Hercules and the Hydra

late 1500s-early 1600s

Northern Europe, late 16th-early 17th century

bronze
Overall: 47.5 x 18 x 18 cm (18 11/16 x 7 1/16 x 7 1/16 in.)
Purchase from the J. H. Wade Fund 1973.167
Location: Not on view

Description

Hercules slayed the Lernean Hydra as the second of the ancient hero’s twelve labors. When one of the nine snake-like heads was destroyed, two grew back. Hercules cauterized each stump, allowing him eventually to kill the monster. The object he holds may have been a club, sword, sickle, or torch. The sinuous, scaly Hydra and the defined musculature presented challenging opportunities for sculptors working in bronze. The raw, tumultuous energy and twisting form-associated with artists of the late 1500s-contrasts to Jacopo Sansovino’s earlier Virgin and Child (1951.316).
  • L. L. Neumann (London, England), 1919;
    William Salomon, 1852-1919 (New York, New York), upon his death, held in trust by the estate.
    Estate of William Salomon, sold in 1923;
    Henry Walters, 1948-1931 (New York, New York), upon his death, by inheritance to his wife, Mrs. Henry Walters;
    Mrs. Henry Walters, (New York, New York), 1941;
    Mrs. Gaby Salomon (London, England), 1966-1973, sold to the Cleveland Museum of Art, 1973.
    Dr. Kaufman;
    Dr. Otto Wertheimer (Paris, France);
    Herbert N. Bier (London, England)
  • “The Year in Review for 1973.” The Bulletin of the Cleveland Museum of Art 61, no. 2 (February 1974): 31–78. Reproduced: p. 38; Mentioned: p. 73, no. 12 www.jstor.org
    The Cleveland Museum of Art. Handbook of the Cleveland Museum of Art/1978. Cleveland, OH: The Cleveland Museum of Art, 1978. c Reproduced: p. 134 archive.org
  • Artlens Exhibition 2017. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (June 24, 2017-May 29, 2019).
    Magna Graecia: Greek Art from South Italy and Sicily. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (October 27, 2002-January 5, 2003); Tampa Museum of Art, Tampa, FL (February 2-April 20, 2003).
    The Persistence of Classicism in Sculpture. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (November 16, 1988-January 15, 1989).
    Year in Review: 1973. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (January 30-March 17, 1974).
  • {{cite web|title=Hercules and the Hydra|url=false|author=|year=late 1500s-early 1600s|access-date=18 December 2025|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}

Source URL:

https://www.clevelandart.org/art/1973.167