Hercules and the Cretan Bull

Paul Manship, Hercules and the Cretan Bull, 1956, bronze on wood base, 4 x 7 7⁄8 x 4 1⁄8 in. (10.2 x 20.1 x 10.4 cm), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Bequest of Paul Manship, 1966.47.59

Artwork Details

Title
Hercules and the Cretan Bull
Artist
Date
1956
Location
Dimensions
4 x 7 7⁄8 x 4 1⁄8 in. (10.2 x 20.1 x 10.4 cm)
Credit Line
Bequest of Paul Manship
Mediums
Mediums Description
bronze on wood base
Classifications
Subjects
  • Figure male — nude
  • Figure male — full length
  • Animal — cattle
  • Mythology — classical — Hercules
Object Number
1966.47.59
Linked Open Data
https://edan.si.edu/saam/id/object/1966.47.59

Artwork Description

Paul Manship modeled many sculptures of Hercules, the son of Zeus and the mortal Alcmena. Zeus’s wife, Queen Hera, was jealous of Hercules and tormented him so much that he murdered his own family in a fit of insanity. As punishment, he was sentenced to serve twelve labors for his cousin and enemy, Eurystheus. These included strangling the Nemean lion, whose skin was impenetrable, destroying the many-headed Hydra, and stealing the belt from the Amazon queen Hippolyte. His final labor was to capture Cerberus, a three-headed dog from the kingdom of the dead. Hercules had many more adventures after these tasks were completed, including stealing the Delphic tripod from his half-brother Apollo, and killing the giant Antaeus. Antaeus gained strength every time he touched his mother, the earth, so Hercules defeated him by lifting him high above his head.

Works by this artist (483 items)

View all artworks
Paul Manship, Model of Flagpole Base, Alfred E. Smith Memorial, n.d., cast posthumously, bronze, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Museum purchase, 1971.15
Model of Flagpole Base, Alfred E. Smith Memorial
Artist
Daten.d., cast posthumously
bronze
On view
Paul Manship, Susanna (#1), 1948, marble, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Bequest of Paul Manship, 1966.47.1
Susanna (#1)
Artist
Date1948
marble
On view
Paul Manship, Flamingo (#2), 1932, gilded bronze on granite base, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of the artist, 1965.16.29
Flamingo (#2)
Artist
Date1932
gilded bronze on granite base
On view
Paul Manship, Frog, 1952, bronze on lapis lazuli base, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Bequest of Paul Manship, 1966.47.31
Frog
Artist
Date1952
bronze on lapis lazuli base
On view

More Artworks from the Collection

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Paul Manship, Mother and Child, 1914, bronze on wood base, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Bequest of Paul Manship, 1966.47.15
Mother and Child
Artist
Date1914
bronze on wood base
Not on view
Paul Manship, Franklin D. Roosevelt, 1935, bronze on wood base, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Bequest of Paul Manship, 1966.47.43
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Artist
Date1935
bronze on wood base
Not on view
Oronzio Maldarelli, Adrian, 1957, bronze on wood base, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of the Sara Roby Foundation, 1985.30.37
Adrian
Artist
Date1957
bronze on wood base
Not on view
Rudolf Hoflehner, "The difficulty of our time is a difficulty of the human spirit."-- Albert Schweitzer, 1875-1965. From the series Great Ideas of Western Man., ca. 1971, bronze on wood and marble base, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Container Corporation of America, 1984.124.120
“The difficulty of our time is a difficulty of the human…
Artist
Dateca. 1971
bronze on wood and marble base
On view