Hercules

Ferdinando Tacca (1619-1686), Hercules Overcoming Acheloüs, circa 1640-50, estimate on request: in the region of £5 million. © Christie's Image Ltd François Girardon, Louis XIV on Horseback, Paris, circa 1690-1699, estimate: £7-10 million. © Christie's Image Ltd London – From the Court of King Louis XIV of France, the ‘Sun King’, Christie’s announces two of the most significant sculptures to come to the market in recent years. A unique rediscovered masterpiece by Louis XIV’s Royal sculptor François... [Lire la suite]

NASHVILLE, TENN.- Rome: City and Empire brings to Nashville more than 200 of the British Museum’s most engaging and beautiful Roman objects to tell the dramatic story of how Rome grew from a cluster of small villages into a mighty empire. This marks the first time that art and artifacts from ancient Rome and its empire will be on display at the Frist Center, which is the sole North American venue on the tour. The British Museum’s exceptionally broad collections—world renowned for its classical antiquities—have enabled the... [Lire la suite]

Cup with Centaurs, 1–100 C.E. Roman. Silver and gold. H: 4 5/8 x W:10 9/16 x D:6 7/8 x Diam: 5 7/8 inches, 3.62 pounds.  Bibliothèque nationale de France, Département des monnaies, médailles et antiques, Paris. VEX.2014.1.7 KANSAS CITY, MO.- A glittering array of silver, gold and gemstones on view in the exhibition Luxury: Treasures of the Roman Empire offers a window into the lifestyles of the ancient Roman elite, who used luxury items to display their wealth through elaborate banquets, gifts and... [Lire la suite]

Flemish manufacture. Pendant depicting Hercules, gold, enamel and pearl, Scaramazza, 16th century,via Christie"s Geneva Flemish manufacture. Pendant in the form of a marine animal in gold, enamel, precious pearl piettre, Scaramazza, 16th century, via Christie"s Geneva. "The Canning Jewel". Flemish manufacture. Gold, precious stones, pearl Scaramazza from 16th century, Victoria and Albert Museum, London © Victoria Albert Museum. Dutch Manufacture, 16th century, gold and enamel pendant with baroque pearl in the form of a... [Lire la suite]

A rare statue of the young Hercules, formerly in the Roger Peyrefitte (1907-2000) Collection in Paris. Estimate: £100,000-150,000. Photo: Christie's Images Ltd 2014.  LONDON.- The Christie’s sale of Antiquities in London on 2 April 2014 comprises 199 carefully selected lots with exceptional provenance which span the ancient world from the 3rd Millennium B.C. to the 11th Century A.D. Leading the sale is a rare statue of the young Hercules, formerly in the Roger Peyrefitte (1907-2000) Collection in Paris (estimate:... [Lire la suite]

Hercules Pendant, Unknown. French, Paris, about 1540. Gold, enamel, and a baroque pearl; 2 3/8 x 2 1/8 in. 85.SE.237. The J. Paul Getty Museum ©J. Paul Getty Trust This type of jewel was worn as a pendant, suspended from a chain around the neck or pinned to the sleeve of a garment. Depicting Hercules raising the pillars at Cadiz, this pendant was presumably made for a man, with the wearer reflecting the symbolic qualities of physical strength and courage of its subject.... [Lire la suite]

A cornelian and gold necklace, by Lalaounis. Photo Christie's Image Ltd 2013 Centering upon an oval-shaped cornelian intaglio depicting Echidna stealing the horses of Hercules, to the two gold ropes gathered by two flowerheads, intaglio from the early 19th Century, necklace of modern make, 41.0 cm, in dark brown leather fitted case, the lid bearing the inscription 'Ex collection Prince Poniatowski - Sold Christie's April-May 1839'. Signed Lalaounis, no. A27. Estimate CHF10,000 – CHF15,000 ... [Lire la suite]

Two Mythical-Subject Grisaille Plates, Qianlong period (1736-1795). Photo Stockholm Auktionsverk decorated with mythological scenes, one with Hercules and one with Poseidon, diameter 22.5 and 23 cm; one with glaze crack. Estimate: SEK 4 000-5 000 € 485-610 PROVENANCE: Per Toftager Collection Stockholm Auktionsverk. Fine Art & Antiques.  4-6 December 2012. http://auktionsverket.com

 Annibale Fontana (Italian, Milanese, 1504–1587), Hercules Overcoming the Centaur Nessus, ca. 1570–80. Rock crystal in enameled gold frame of later date.

The stunning figure of Hercules is based on the famous Antique sculpture of the Farnese Hercules, now in the Archaeological Museum in Naples FLORENCE.- A very rare and important 82cm high porcelain figure of Hercules created at the Doccia factory in Tuscany in 1753-55 sold for £657,250 last week in Bonhams Fine European Ceramics auction, setting a new world record pirce for Doccia porcelain at auction. It was the first time that a Doccia figure of this size had come to auction and the piece far exceeded its pre-sale estimate of... [Lire la suite]