The painting shows Hercules as a baby killing two snakes with his bare hands to protect his twin brother Iphicles, while his mother Alcmene watches distraught. Amphitryon, a prince of Argos, clutches his sword, while a teacher in slave robes clutches the terrified Iphicles. Copperplate engraved by Tommaso Piroli from his own "Antichita di Ercolano" (Antiquities of Herculaneum), Rome, 1789. Italian artist and engraver Piroli (1752-1824) published six volumes between 1789 and 1807 documenting the murals and bronzes found in Heraculaneum and Pompeii.

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Size: 4592px × 5999px
Photo credit: © Florilegius / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: 1789, alcmene, amphitryon, antichita, antiquities, art, artist, baby, bronze, brother, civilization, copperplate, engraver, engraving, ercolano, fresco, herculaneum, hercules, iphicles, italian, mural, myth, painting, piroli, pompeii, roman, rome, sculpture, snake, teacher, tommaso, wall