Getty Museum

Statue of Herakles

Date

2nd–1st century B.C.

Medium

Limestone with traces of polychromy

Culture

Cypriot

Department

Sculpture

Institution

Getty Museum

This Cypriot statuette depicts a mature, though beardless, Herakles. The hero is identified by a lion skin over his head and left shoulder and arm. The paws are tied at the front of his chest in a square knot. Herakles stands in a pronounced contrapposto pose with his weight on the right leg. He has developed pectoral and torso muscles, and prominent buttocks. The navel is shown as a triangular indentation, and the ears are well-modeled with drilled ear canals. There are traces of dark brown-red pigment remaining on the lion skin.Herakles, preeminent among Greek heroes, with cults throughout the Mediterranean world, was worshipped on Cyprus as both a Panhellenic hero and as a syncretic divinity with the Phoenician god Melqart. Cypriot statues of Herakles-Melqart are often depicted holding a miniature lion in one hand and a club in the other. As the attributes that the Getty’s Herakles originally held are missing, however, this identification cannot be confirmed.

The authoritative record is held by Getty Museum. LinkedCulture surfaces this object and its connections; it does not alter institutional metadata.