Rijksmuseum

Hercules and the Hydra

Date

c. 1722 - c. 1728

Medium

sandstone

Culture

Antwerp

Institution

Rijksmuseum

Killing the Lernaean Hydra was the second of the twelve labours Hercules had to perform for King Eurystheus. Hercules is shown in the act of slaying the nine-headed monster. For every head he cut off, two new ones immediately sprouted from the wound. To prevent this from happening Hercules asked his friend Iolaus to scorch the neck stumps.

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