Art Institute of Chicago

Hercules and Lichas

Attributed to Pietro Tacca (Italian, 1577–1640)

Date

1600–1625

Medium

Bronze

Culture

Italy

Department

Painting and Sculpture of Europe

Institution

Art Institute of Chicago

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.

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