Farnese Hercules

The Farnese Hercules is a sculpture of the Greek mythological hero Heracles (Hercules in Roman mythology). The original statue was likely created by the Greek sculptor Lysippus in the 4th century BCE. The most famous surviving copy, known as the Farnese Hercules, was sculpted by Glycon of Athens around 216 CE and is housed in the Naples National Archaeological Museum.12

This larger-than-life marble statue depicts a weary Hercules leaning on his club, draped with the skin of the Nemean lion. It is renowned for its powerful musculature and realistic portrayal of exhaustion, showcasing a departure from the idealized heroic figures often seen in earlier Greek art. The sculpture's pose and depiction of a fatigued hero influenced later artists, including Michelangelo.234