The Twelve Labours of Hercules

Herakles enters Olympus
Amasis – Heracles entering Olympus
Attic black-figure olpe — ca. 550-530 BC

I have been an affiliate of (Friends of Le Louvre) for years. It is a patron of the arts foundations, which aims at increasing art collections in the in Paris. Also, it gives free access to the Museum, permanent collection and temporary exhibitions as well.

I probably visited the Museum more than a hundred times, I have not yet explored the whole of it though. In particular, I visited the department of Greek, Etruscan and Roman Antiquities on rare occasions only.

Because I read an article about Attic pottery lately, I decided to follow two in that department of Le Louvre: Hercules trail and Greek pottery trail. More than 2500 years after they were made,   are still fascinating. I especially valued so-called black-figure paintings on Attic vases.

A couple of vases displayed Hercules (Herakles in Greek), one of which is displayed above. After I followed both trails, I enjoyed myself seeking on the Internet twelve Greek ceramic that illustrate the twelve labours of Hercules.

Here they are (click on the pictures for bigger view and more details).

The Nemean Lion
The Nemean Lion
The Lernean Hydra
The Lernean Hydra
The Cerynean Hind
The Cerynean Hind
The Erymanthian Boar
The Erymanthian Boar
The Augean Stables
The Augean Stables
The Stymphalian Birds
The Stymphalian Birds
The Cretan Bull
The Cretan Bull
The Mares of Diomedes
The Mares of Diomedes
The Belt of Hippolyte
The Belt of Hippolyte
The Cattle of Geryon
The Cattle of Geryon
The Apples of the Hesperides
Apples of the Hesperides
Cerberus
Cerberus
Blogging by Numbers #12
    [BbN #12]

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