Hercules And Antaeus: Ancient Greek Art During The Italian Renaissance

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Hercules and Antaeus
Italian Renaissance began approximately in 1420. It was a period of great cultural changed and achievement that began in Italy during the 14th century and lasted until the 17th century

Antonio del Pollaiouo was an Italian artist specialized in painting, sculpture, engraved and goldsmith during the Italian Renaissance. He was well-known for his mastery of line and renderings of the human figure in his sculpture . Antonio created the sculpture of “Hercules and Antaeus” during the Early Classical Period. He was also one of the few artists to study human anatomy together with Leonardo Da Vinci and Michelangelo.

In addition, the Early Classical Period (480/479-450 B.C.E) started to achieved the two-and-three-dimensional forms in proportions and contrapposto. Also, the sculpture started to form in a naturalistic way, even though the experimentation in realistic contrapposto began before the end of Archaic Period.

The story behind the “Hercules and Antaeus” sculpture was Antaeus was the son of Poseidon and Gaia. He tends to challenge all passers-by to a match which he incredibly won and used their skulls or bones to build an empire for his father. His powers are invincible as he got all the source of strength from his mother – the earth. In other words, just by him standing on the ground, he was dominant than all the other men.

Due to his arrogance, he invited Hercules into a fight when he was busy searching for the golden apples. Being a hero

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