Corinth Object: T 31
Collection:   Corinth
Type:   Object
Name:   T 31
Title:   "HERAKLES AND CERBERUS," HERAKLES STRIDING RIGHT WITH CLUB AND LION SKIN
Category:   Miscellaneous
Category Code:   T
Object Number:   31
Description:   Herakles strides right, wearing lion skin over his left shoulder, holding club over same shoulder, and looks back to left. In restored right hand he holds a chain, wrapped around, (which the only reason for attributing this figure to the Cerberus labor). Herakles (head, facing 3/4 left, looks not down, but straight behind him. The head is rather small, particularly at the top, in proportion to this thick neck and muscular body. His shorts-cropped curls are carved fairly flat against his head; they grow up from the forehead in short tufts, which are directed away from the center and extend only a short distance down the back, leaving a large expanse of neck. The forehead, triangular in shape, lends to his pin-headed appearance. A single, incised crease extends straight across the front and down on either side above his furrowed, but not very bushy brow. Beneath this his deep-set eyes gaze intently at something behind him. The eyeballs bulge outward and recede into the side of his face at the outer corners. The lids are marked by light, incised lines. The nose is straight, the tip chipped off; cheeks are gently modelled. His face becomes much wider at the level of the cheeks than it was at the forehead, and the bottom-heavy appearance is intensified by his extremely full beard and stocky neck. A long moustache droops on either side of a short, full mouth, corner of which droop down in almost a snear. The thick locks of the beard divide and curl away from a central part. Although the beard is extremely thick, the locks are not deeply carved and show none of the usual sculptural attempts at depth. The rest of the body is concentrated in movement toward the right. The sterno-mastoid is powerfully modelled to indicate the twist of the head, below which the clavicles appear in front position. A horizontal below this is shifted slightly to the right, below which the pectorals the lower boudary of the thorax, and digitations follow suit and are powerfully modelled. The abdomen and the bulge over the iliac crest are competently carved; the genitals are nearly intact. Herakles' left leg, in profile to right, is bent at the knee and supports most of his weight, though the muscles are not as contracted. The right leg is nearly frontal or turned slightly left. Muscles of the left leg project a moderate amount; the calf and ankles are rather thick. In the right, bulging muscles give the impression of strength and strain within the figure. The tibia extends into the knee in a peculiar fashion, making the kneecap appear quite narrow. This leg is separated from the background, but is roughly worked forming a long ridge in back, which ends rather awkwardly at the buttocks. A full lion skin hands vertically from his left shoulder; the head, appearing at waist level, is square, the mouth hanging open, teeth visible. Two legs of the skin hang from the forearm, one nearly vertical in low relief, the other swings left behind his left leg and develops a long even fold which with the area around it creates light shadows and contribute to the depth of the skin. Four wide coverings for claws are carved at the end of each paw. No attempt is made at lending texture to the skin. Six drill holes spotlight the convolutions in the head. The eyes are tightly closed under protruding brows. Although the lion is quiet, his skin adds motion and life to the compostion. The club, which extends diagonally behind his head, is embellished with oval-shaped knots in low relief. It is not in position for imminent use. Background: mostly claw chisel, except directly around the figure where the flat is used; plinth: top - point, front - claw, side border, point (rough); reverse, rough.
Material:   Marble, blue veins.
Condition:   Missing parts. Five frgt., (includes left hand, does not join). Herakles complete except for his right arm from the shoulder to near wrist, most of left arm, toes on rt. Foot.
Dimensions Actual:   H. 0.832, Th. relief ground 0.065-0.100, Th. max. relief 0.095, Depth plinth 0.070-0.090, H. plinth 0.100, L. top border 0.330, L. plinth 0.550, H. Herakles 0.630, H. head 0.110, W. head 0.065, W. waist 0.114, L. torso 0.245, Th. prop. rt. thigh 0.070, Th
Dimensions Preserved:   W. 0.585, L. club 0.190
Period:   2nd c. A.C.
Chronology:   2nd quarter of 2nd c. A.C. according to Corinth IX p.4-5
Bibliography:   Corinth IX.2, H11; Capps, Classical Studies, fig. 6, p. 57.
Site:   Corinth
City:   Ancient Corinth
Country:   Greece
References:   Publication: Sturgeon, Corinth 9:2, 1977
Image: digital 2012 0749