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.
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.
'Hercules as Fortitude' on the pulpit in the Baptistery, Pisa
Pulpit dated 1259-1261, by Nicola Pisano.
Photo: Sailko, 14th August 2016.
Hercules on the pulpit in the Duomo, Pisa
Pulpit dated 1302-1310, by Giovanni Pisano.
Photo: JoJan, 10th October 2005.
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.
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
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)
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.
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.
Hercules kills Nessus
Another 80cm diameter rondel, possibly by Vasari rather than Marchetti.
NB This thumbnail from Wikimedia Commons (2013) via Google Cultural Institute.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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]
The Hercules Room of the Pitti Palace
One wall depicts the baby Hercules strangling the serpents.
The Hercules Room of the Pitti Palace
One wall depicts Hercules returning Alcestis to the world of life and her husband, Admetus.
The Hercules Room of the Pitti Palace
Hercules slays Nessus, under circumstances more reminiscent of the battle of the Lapiths and the Centaurs than of the usual encounter between the lone centaur, Nessus, and Hercules and Deianeira.
The Hercules Room of the Pitti Palace
Detail of the Choice of Hercules, in which Hercules as a youth chooses Minerva/Athena - goddess of war, wisdom and the city - over Venus/Aphrodite - goddess of love and beauty.