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Hercules Killing the Hydra

Maker

(Artists)
1577-1640

Title

Hercules Killing the Hydra

Date of Production

(circa) 1639

Medium

oil on panel

Dimensions

Height: 23.1 cm (panel)
Width: 12.1 cm (panel)

Accession Number

P.1978.PG.382

Mode of Acquisition

Count Antoine Seilern, bequest, 1978

Credit

The Courtauld, London (Samuel Courtauld Trust)

Copyright

Work in the public domain

Location

On display

Keywords







Label Text

In 1636, King Philip IV of Spain asked Rubens to design the decoration of his new hunting lodge outside Madrid, the Torre de la Parada. These lively sketches, representing mythological scenes, are two of 50 preparatory studies made for this commission. One shows Atlas, condemned by the gods to hold the sky on his shoulders for trying to overthrow them. The other depicts the Greek warrior Hercules killing the hydra, a water monster with many heads.

Provenance

Princes Gate Bequest 1978

Exhibition History

Peter Paul Rubens - A Touch of Brilliance, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 20/09/2003-08/02/2004

Rubens - Paintings, Drawings and Prints in the Princes Gate
Collection
, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 06/10/1988-08/01/1989

Literature

Peter Paul Rubens - A Touch of Brilliance, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 2003-2004
cat. no. 58
Fig. p. pl. 58

Rubens - Paintings, Drawings and Prints in the Princes Gate Collection, Courtauld Gallery, London, 1988-1989
cat. no. 20
no. 20 and pp. 2, 16, 17 under no. 21, 19
Fig. p. p. 17

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