Supplementary Images

Herculean Transformations of Herculean Fortitude in Florence

This page contains supplementary images (or links to images) as referred to in this paper by Tom Sienkewicz for the volume Herakles inside and outside the Church: from the first Apologists to the end of the Quattrocento; Editors: Arlene Allan (Otago), Eva Anagnostou-Laoutides (Macquarie); Series Editor: Emma Stafford (Leeds). Please note that the image thumbnails (shown where copyright is unrestricted) have been cropped to their centre by the page template used. These images are clickable (the target is the link text displayed) and will then show in a full version (i.e. a thumbnail of part of a statue will produce an image of the whole statue).

Frieze on the façade of the Medici Villa at Poggio a Caiano

Sala del Fregio, showing the frieze by Giuliano da Sangallo (1487). Photo: Sailko, 28th September 2013, uploaded to Wikimedia Commons as part of Wiki Loves Monuments 2014.

Original Image

Detail of the frieze on the façade of the Medici Villa at Poggio a Caiano

Detail of the frieze by Giuliano da Sangallo (1487). Photo: Sailko, 24th September 2013, uploaded to Wikimedia Commons as part of Wiki Loves Monuments 2014.

Original image

'Hercules as Fortitude' on the pulpit in the Baptistery, Pisa

Pulpit dated 1259-1261, by Nicola Pisano. Photo: Sailko, 14th August 2016.

Clearer image available through the Web Gallery of Art

Hercules on the pulpit in the Duomo, Pisa

Pulpit dated 1302-1310, by Giovanni Pisano. Photo: JoJan, 10th October 2005.

Clearer image available through the Web Gallery of Art

Loggia dei Lanzi, Piazza della Signoria, Florence

The façade of the Loggia dei Lanzi, constructed in 1376-1382 by Benci di Cione and Simone di Francesco Talenti, has the cardinal virtues seated in niches between the arches. NB Permission to use the photo linked to is being sought; this thumbnail by WKnight94 (2008), contributed to Wikimedia Commons.

Photograph from Gretchen Hunter, 365Italy

Fortitude on the Loggia dei Lanzi

This depiction of Fortitude (or Strength), one of the four cardinal virtues, shows her attributes of a column, shield, and lion. She is enthroned before a blue sky with stars. Photo: Thermos, 9th June 2006

Original Image

Hercules and the Hydra, Palazzo Vecchio

Giorgio Vasari devoted an entire room to Hercules (the Hall of Hercules) in his artistic plan for the Quartiere degli Elementi (Apartments of the Elements), the private rooms of Cosimo I. Giorgio Vassari himself painted the 80cm diameter rondel of Hercules and the Hydra (1555-56). NB This This thumbnail © Marie-Lan Nguyen / Wikimedia Commons / CC-BY 2.5 (2012)

Image from Palazzo Vecchio Museum

Hercules and Antaeus, Palazzo Vecchio

Following Vassari's scheme, Marco Marchetti da Faenza painted the remaining images of Hercules (1555-56). Hercules suffocating Antaeus is a rectangle (75cm x 85cm). NB This thumbnail by Botaurus (2013) for the Google Art Project.

Image from the Palazzo Vecchio Museum

Hercules and the Nemean Lion, Palazzo Vecchio

Hercules wrestling the Nemean lion (1555-56) by Marco Marchetti da Faenza is also rectangular (123cm x 85cm). NB This thumbnail from Wikimedia Commons (2013) via Google Cultural Institute.

Image from the Palazzo Vecchio Museum

Hercules kills Nessus

Another 80cm diameter rondel, possibly by Vasari rather than Marchetti. NB This thumbnail from Wikimedia Commons (2013) via Google Cultural Institute.

Image from the Palazzo Vecchio Museum

Hercules and the Cretan Bull

Rectangular panel (75cm x 85cm) by Marco Marchetti da Faenza. NB This thumbnail from Wikimedia Commons (2013) via Google Cultural Institute.

Image from the Palazzo Vecchio Museum

Hercules and the Apples of the Hesperides, Palazzo Vecchio

Hercules kills the dragon Ladon, Hercules lands the fatal blow with his club as golden apples roll on the ground, Rectangular panel (150cm x 85cm) by Marco Marchetti da Faenza. NB This thumbnail from Wikimedia Commons (2013) via Google Cultural Institute.

Image from the Palazzo Vecchio Museum

Vincenzo de Rossi's sculptures of Hercules' Labours

Vincenzo de Rossi, student of Bandinelli, began a series of sculptures depicting the Twelve Labours in 1534, eventually completing seven. Six of these (Cacus, Nessus, Antaeus, Diomedes, the Erymanthian boar and Hippolyta) were placed in the Salone dei Cinquecento of the Palazzo Vecchio. The seventh, Hercules and the Golden Apples, was moved to the Villa di Poggio Imperiale in 1620.

Florence Inferno discusses the statues, their original display and context

Hercules in the Palazzo Vecchio

Santi di Tito painted ‘Hercules and Iole’ (1570-71) for the Studiolo of Duke Francesco I, just off the Salone of the Palazzo Vecchio. Photo: Sailko, 5th February 2013

Original Image

Hercules in the Planetary Rooms of the Pitti Palace

These paintings were commissioned from Pietro da Cortona by Duke Ferdinand II and executed between 1641 and 1647. They depict the education of the prince under the tutelage of Hercules. On the ceiling of the Sala di Venere, Hercules receives the prince snatched from the amorous embrace of Venus by Minerva.

Image available through the Web Gallery of Art

Hercules in the Planetary Rooms of the Pitti Palace

Hercules defeats his enemies but treats them mercifully, as a good ruler should, on the ceiling of the Sala di Marte.

Image available through the Web Gallery of Art

Hercules in the Planetary Rooms of the Pitti Palace

On the ceiling of the Sala di Saturno, Hercules escorts the deified prince to Mt. Olympus.

Image available through the Web Gallery of Art

The Hercules Room of the Pitti Palace

For Grand Dukes Ferdinand III and Leopold II, Pietro Benvenuti decorated a room in the Pitti Palace with frescoes devoted to the life Hercules. The apotheosis of Hercules and his marriage to Hebe (1817-29) appears on the ceiling, from which this is a detail. Photo: hadrian6 (Tumblr) [permission tbc]

Video tour of the Hercules room (1min 3secs)