Hercule Throwing Lichas, Bronze signed Hippolyte Moreau, late 19th century

Very beautiful group in bronze with brown patina depicting Hercules, firmly planted on his feet, dressed in a short drape, having seized Lichas and preparing to propel him into the sea. The muscles of the hero in tension while the The unfortunate man tries to cling to the lion covering the colossus' club and to a cippus.

This magnificent bronze group, executed by Hippolyte François Moreau in 1880, is directly inspired by the marble sculpture by Antonio Canova, dating from the end of the 18th century and found in the Salle d'Hercule, at the National Gallery of Art. modern villa Borghese in Rome.

But why does Hercules get so angry with one of his faithful companions? :

Lichas, sent by Hercules to Trachis, inadvertently learns from Deianira of the love of the hero of twelve labors for Iole, daughter of King Eurytos. Deianira then instructs him to give her husband the poisoned tunic of Nessos, which she knows contains a powerful potion. But as soon as he puts it on, Hercules feels his body being consumed. Thinking of Lichas' treachery, he grabs him by the foot, spins him around, and throws him into the Euboea Sea.
According to Ovid, a rock forms at the place of its fall, to which its name is given.

Dimensions:
Height 43cm
Width 26cm
Depth 20cm

Beautiful state of preservation, with its original patina.

Signed H. Moreau. Circa 1880.

Hippolyte Francois Moreau (1832-1926):
François, dit Hippolyte, is the second son of sculptor Jean-Baptiste-Louis-Joseph Moreau and trained in his father's studio.

With his two brothers Mathurin and Auguste, he moved to Paris to follow the teaching of François Jouffroy at the School of Fine Arts.

From 1863 to 1914, he exhibited at the Salon des artistes français where he sent decorative subjects most often inspired by the 18th century. He won a medal at the Universal Exhibition of 1878 and another at the Universal Exhibition of 1900.

He mainly produced medium-sized works and decorative or everyday objects: vases, statuettes, letter openers, trinket trays in bronze, spelter or pewter.

He is the author of the statue of Alexis Claude Clairaut (1880) on one of the facades of the Paris City Hall, rue de Lobau.

Most of his works are kept at the Musée des Beaux-Arts in Dijon.

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