Oil flask (lekythos) with Herakles fighting the Hydra

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Oil flask (lekythos) with Herakles fighting the Hydra

Artist: Attributed to the Class of Athens 581

Culture: Greek

Date: ca. 500 B.C.

Medium: Terracotta, black-figure technique on white ground

Dimensions:

height of rim: 7 1/4 in. (18.4 cm)

max. diameter: 2 3/4 in. (7 cm)

diameter of foot: 1 7/8 in. (4.8 cm)

Credit Line: San Antonio Museum of Art, Gift of Gilbert M. Denman, Jr.

Object number: 86.134.53

Provenance: sold by Galerie Günter Puhze, Freiburg, to Gilbert M. Denman, Jr. (1921-2004), San Antonio, 1984; Gilbert M. Denman, Jr., by gift to the San Antonio Museum of Art, 1986

Published References H.A. Shapiro, C.A. Picon, and G.D. Scott, III, eds., Greek Vases in the San Antonio Museum of Art (San Antonio, 1995) pp. 118-9, no. 59

Label Text

After Herakles killed the Nemean Lion, Eurystheus sent him to destroy the Hydra, a many-headed snake that lived in the swamps of Lerna. Each time Herakles cut off one of the monster’s heads, two more grew in its place. At right is Herakles’ nephew, Iolaos, who assisted by cauterizing the necks each time Herakles removed a head, thus preventing the heads from growing back and allowing Herakles to vanquish the beast. (Jessica Powers 2008)

On view

The San Antonio Museum of Art is in the process of digitizing its permanent collection. This electronic record was created from historic documentation that does not necessarily reflect SAMA's complete or current knowledge about the object. Review and updating of such records is ongoing.

Artwork

Oil flask (lekythos) with Herakles fighting the Hydra

Oil flask (lekythos) with Herakles fighting the Hydra