Hercules Fighting the Nemean Lion (Zurbarán)

Painting by Francisco de Zurbarán

Hercules Fighting the Nemean Lion
Spanish: Hércules lucha con el león de Nemea

Artist	Francisco de Zurbarán
Completion date	1634
Dimensions	151 × 166 cm
Location	Museo del Prado

Hercules Fighting the Nemean Lion is a work of 1634 by the Spanish painter Francisco de Zurbarán. It is conserved in the Museo del Prado.

Description

The painting depicts Heracles fighting the Nemean Lion. The Spanish art critic Soria suggests a comparison with a woodcut fashioned by Cornelis Cort after a work by Frans Floris, based on the hero's position. The rocky setting was designed according to a woodcut by Barthel Beham: Fighting versus Centaur (1542).

It is one of series of 10 artworks on the Labours of Hercules commissioned by Philip IV of Spain for the decoration of the Hall of Realms in the Buen Retiro Palace. The series is now on display at the Museo del Prado.

Bibliography

Juan Antonio Gaya Nuño and Tiziana Frati, La obra Pictórica de Zurbarán, Editorial Planeta, Barcelona, 1988, ISBN 84-320-2866-5 pp. 131–132.

Hercules (Heracles)

Hercle
Ercole
Hercule
Alcide

Family

Zeus (father)
Alcmene (mother)
Megara, Omphale, Deianira, and Hebe (wives)
Heracleidae (children)

Events

Literature

Poems	Heracles Papyrus Shield of Heracles Catalogue of Women L'Atlàntida
Plays	Herakles Women of Trachis Hercules Furens Hercules Oetaeus
Other	The Labours of Hercules Hercules and the Wagoner

Art

Hercules and the lion of Nemea (5th century BCE)
Hercules of the Forum Boarium (2nd century BCE)
Lansdowne Heracles (c. 125)
Statue of Hercules, Dura-Europos (c. 150–256)
Farnese Hercules (216)
Hercules slaying Antaeus (c. 1460)
Hercules and Deianira (c. 1470)
Hercules and the Hydra (c. 1475)
Hercules Killing the Stymphalian Birds (1500)
Hercules and Antaeus (c. 1500–1510)
The Choice of Hercules (c. 1520–1525)
Hercules and Antaeus (1531)
Hercules and Cacus (1534)
The Origin of the Milky Way (1575–1580)
The Choice of Hercules (1596)
Hercules and Omphale (1603)
Hercules Fighting the Nemean Lion (1634)
Hercules and the Hydra (1634)
Hercules Separates Mounts Calpe and Abylla (1634)
The Death of Hercules (1634)
Hercules's Dog Discovers Purple Dye (1636)
The Origin of the Milky Way (1637)
Hercules in the Garden of the Hesperides (1638)
Landscape with Hercules and Cacus (c. 1660)
Hercules and Omphale (1732–1734)
Libertas Americana (1783)
The Sanctuary of Hercules (1884)
Hercules the Archer (1909)
Achelous and Hercules (1947)
The Twelve Labors of Hercules (1981)
The Labors of Herakles (2006–2008)
Hercules and the Erymanthian Boar
Hercules and the Nemean Lion

Opera

Ercole amante (1662)
Alcide (1693)
Ercole su'l Termodonte (1723)
Admeto (1727)
Laßt uns sorgen, laßt uns wachen, BWV 213 (1733)
Hercules (1744)
Le nozze d'Ercole e d'Ebe (1747)
The Choice of Hercules (1750)
Hercule mourant (1761)
Le Rouet d'Omphale (1871)
Déjanire (1911)
Atlántida (1962)
Hercules vs. Vampires (2010)

Films

Italian series	Hercules (1957) Hercules Unchained (1959) Goliath and the Dragon (1960) The Loves of Hercules (1960) Hercules and the Conquest of Atlantis (1961) Hercules in the Haunted World (1961) Hercules in the Valley of Woe (1961) The Fury of Hercules (1962) Hercules, Samson and Ulysses (1963) Hercules vs. Moloch (1963) Hercules the Invincible (1964) Hercules Against Rome (1964) Hercules Against the Sons of the Sun (1964) The Triumph of Hercules (1964) Samson and His Mighty Challenge (1964) Hercules and the Tyrants of Babylon (1964) Hercules and the Princess of Troy (1965) Hercules the Avenger (1965)
Other European live-action	Herakles (1962) Hercules Against the Moon Men (1964)
American films live-action	The Warrior's Husband (1933) The Three Stooges Meet Hercules (1962) Jason and the Argonauts (1963) Hercules in New York (1970) Hercules (1983) The Adventures of Hercules (1985) Jason and the Argonauts (2000) Immortals (2011) The Legend of Hercules (2014) Hercules (2014)
Animated films	Hercules (1995) Hercules (1997) Hercules: Zero to Hero (1998) Hercules and Xena – The Animated Movie: The Battle for Mount Olympus (1998)

Television

The Mighty Hercules
The Sons of Hercules
- Mole Men Against the Son of Hercules (1961)
- Fire Monsters Against the Son of Hercules (1962)
- Ulysses Against the Son of Hercules (1962)
Hercules: The Legendary Journeys (1995)
- Hercules and the Amazon Women (1994)
- Hercules and the Lost Kingdom (1994)
- Hercules and the Circle of Fire (1994)
- Hercules in the Underworld (1994)
- Hercules in the Maze of the Minotaur (1994)
Hercules: The Animated Series (1998)
- "Hercules and the Arabian Night" (1999)
Young Hercules (1998)
Hercules (2005 miniseries)
Atlantis (2013)

Comics

Hercules (Marvel Comics)
Hercules (DC Comics)
Hercules (Radical Comics)
The Mighty Hercules (Gold Key Comics)

Games

The Return of Heracles (1983)
Hercules (1984)
Disney's Hercules (1997)
Herc's Adventures (1997)
Hercules: The Legendary Journeys (2000)
Heracles Chariot Racing (2007)
Glory of Heracles (2008)

Other

Hercules in popular culture
Hercules (franchise)
Hercules (2019 musical)
Pillars of Hercules
Maczuga Herkulesa
Hercules' Club
Xena: Warrior Princess

v t e Francisco de Zurbarán
Paintings	Christ on the Cross (1627) Saint Serapion (1628) Displaying the Body of Saint Bonaventure (1629) The Vision of Saint Peter Nolasco (1629) Saint Peter Nolasco's Vision of Saint Peter the Apostle (1629) The House in Nazareth (1630) The Vision of Saint Alphonsus Rodriguez (1630) The Apotheosis of Saint Thomas Aquinas (1631) Saint Margaret of Antioch (1631) Immaculate Conception (1632) Saint Agatha (1633) Still Life with Lemons, Oranges and a Rose (1633) The Young Virgin (1633) The Archangel Gabriel (1634) Hercules and the Hydra (1634) Hercules Fighting the Nemean Lion (1634) Hercules Separates Mounts Calpe and Abylla (1634) The Death of Hercules (1634) The Defence of Cádiz Against the English (1634) Saint Elizabeth of Portugal (c. 1635) Agnus Dei (1635–1640) St Andrew (1635–1640) Saint Apollonia (1636) Saint Lawrence (1636–1639) Still Life with Pots (1650) Saint Luke Painting the Crucifixion (c. 1650) St Hugh in the Carthusian Refectory (1655) St Francis (1659) St. Francis in Ecstasy (1658–1660) The Virgin Mary as a Child Praying (1658–1660)
Painting series	Jacob and his twelve sons (1641–1658)
Related	Juan de Zurbarán (son) Caravaggisti Spanish Baroque painting

Museo del Prado

Buildings
Villanueva building Casón del Buen Retiro Hall of Realms Cloister of Saint Jerome

Paintings

Spanish	Esquivel: José de Espronceda Gisbert: Execution of Torrijos and his Companions on the Beach at Málaga Goya: Allegory of Industry – Asmodea – Atropos – Blind Man's Bluff – Boys playing soldiers – Charles IV of Spain and His Family – Los caprichos – Christ Crucified – The Clothed Maja – The Colossus – The Countess of Chinchon – Los disparates – The Dog – The Drunk Mason – The Duchess of Alba and la Beata – Fight with Cudgels – Judith and Holofernes – La Leocadia – Man Mocked by Two Women – La novillada – Portrait of the Marchioness of Santa Cruz – Men Reading – The Milkmaid of Bordeaux – The Naked Maja – The Parasol – A Pilgrimage to San Isidro – Pilgrimage to the Fountain of San Isidro – Saturn Devouring His Son – The Second of May 1808 – Self-portrait at 69 years – Summer – The Third of May 1808 – Two Old Men – Two Old Ones Eating Soup – The Victorious Hannibal Seeing Italy from the Alps for the First Time – Witches' Flight – Witches' Sabbath (The Great He-Goat) El Greco: The Nobleman with his Hand on his Chest – Adoration of the Shepherds – Doña María de Aragón Altarpiece – Annunciation – Christ Carrying the Cross – The Fable – The Flight into Egypt – Holy Face of Jesus – Holy Trinity – Julián Romero and Saint Julian – Portrait of a Doctor – Portrait of a Gentleman – Portrait of a Young Nobleman – Portrait of an Elderly Man – Portrait of an Unknown Gentleman – Portrait of Jerónimo de Cevallos – Portrait of Rodrigo Vázquez de Arce – Saint Andrew and Saint Francis – Saint Anthony of Padua – Saint Bernardino of Siena ^[1] – Saint James the Great – Saint John the Evangelist – Saint Paul – Saint Sebastian – Saint Thomas the Apostle – Holy Trinity – The Saviour – Virgin Mary Luna: The Death of Cleopatra Maíno: Adoration of the Magi – Portrait of a Gentleman – The Recovery of Bahía de Todos los Santos Murillo: Adoration of the Shepherds (1650) – Aranjuez Immaculate Conception – The Christ Child and the Infant John the Baptist with a Shell – Christ on the Cross (1675, 1677) – The Conversion of Saint Paul – The Good Shepherd – The Holy Family with a Little Bird – The Immaculate Conception of El Escorial – The Immaculate Conception of Los Venerables – The Martyrdom of Saint Andrew – Our Lady of the Rosary – The Patrician's Dream – Rebecca and Eleazar Pradilla: Doña Joanna the Mad Ribera: Jacob's Dream – Democritus – Isaac and Jacob – Ixion – Tityos – The Martyrdom of Saint Philip – The Blind Sculptor Sánchez Gallque: The Mulattos of Esmeraldas ^[2] Velázquez: Las Meninas – The Triumph of Bacchus – Las Hilanderas – The Surrender of Breda – Mars Resting – Equestrian Portrait of Philip IV – Equestrian Portrait of Elisabeth of France – Equestrian Portrait of Prince Balthasar Charles – Equestrian Portrait of Philip III – Equestrian Portrait of Margarita of Austria – Equestrian Portrait of the Count-Duke of Olivares – Adoration of the Magi – Apollo in the Forge of Vulcan – Christ Crucified – Coronation of the Virgin – View of the Garden of the Villa Medici – Prince Balthasar Charles as a Hunter – Portrait of the Infante Don Carlos – Doña Antonia de Ipeñarrieta y Galdós and Her Son Don Luis – The Jester Barbarroja – The Jester Calabacillas – The Jester Don Diego de Acedo – The Jester Don John of Austria – Portrait of Francisco Lezcano – Infanta Margarita Teresa in a Pink Dress – Portrait of Maria Anna – Portrait of Juan Martínez Montañés – The Nun Jerónima de la Fuente – Portrait of Pablo de Valladolid – Portrait of Philip IV in Armour – Portrait of Mariana of Austria – Portrait of Sebastián de Morra Zurbarán: Agnus Dei – The Death of Hercules – The Defence of Cádiz Against the English – Hercules and the Hydra – Hercules Separates Mounts Calpe and Abylla – Hercules Fighting the Nemean Lion – Saint Elizabeth of Portugal – Saint Luke Painting the Crucifixion – Saint Peter Nolasco's Vision of Saint Peter the Apostle – Still Life with Pots – The Vision of Saint Peter Nolasco
Dutch, Flemish, German	Anonymous: The Fountain of Life Baldung: The Three Ages of Man and Death Bosch: The Garden of Earthly Delights – Adoration of the Magi – Cutting the Stone – The Haywain Triptych – Head of a Halberdier – Paradise and Hell – The Seven Deadly Sins and the Four Last Things – The Temptation of St Anthony Bouts: Triptych of the Virgin's Life Bruegel the Elder: The Triumph of Death – The Wine of Saint Martin's Day – Excursion in the Countryside of Infanta Isabel Clara Eugenia – Life in the Countryside – The Infanta Isabel Clara Eugenia in the Mariemont Park (with de Momper) – Landscape (with de Momper) – The Five Senses (with Rubens) Campin: Marriage of the Virgin – Werl Triptych de Crayer: Caritas Romana (1625) David: Rest on the Flight into Egypt Dürer: Adam and Eve – Self-Portrait van Dyck: Self-portrait with Sir Endymion Porter – The Betrayal of Christ – The Brazen Serpent – Diana and a Nymph Surprised by a Satyr – Saint Rosalia – The Crowning with Thorns van Hemessen: The Surgeon Francken the Younger: The Sciences and the Arts Jordaens: Apollo as Victor over Pan – Meleager and Atalanta – The Painter's Family Memling: Adoration of the Magi Mengs: Portrait of José Nicolás de Azara de Momper: Landscape with Sea and Mountains – A Farm – Flemish Market and Washing Place – Landscape with Skaters – The Infanta Isabel Clara Eugenia in the Mariemont Park (with Brueghel the Elder) – Landscape (with Brueghel the Elder) Patinir: Landscape with Charon Crossing the Styx Rembrandt: Judith at the Banquet of Holofernes Rubens: The Judgement of Paris (1638) – The Three Graces – Adoration of the Magi – The Dance of the Villagers – Diana and Callisto – Equestrian Portrait of the Duke of Lerma – The Fall of Man – The Garden of Love – The Birth of the Milky Way – The Rape of Europa – The Rape of Ganymede – Saint George and the Dragon – Saturn – The Triumph of the Church – Deucalion and Pyrrha – The Five Senses (with Brueghel the Elder) Stom: The Incredulity of Saint Thomas Strobel: Feast of Herod with the Beheading of St John the Baptist Teniers the Younger: Archduke Leopold Wilhelm in his Painting Gallery in Brussels (1651) Verhaecht: Alpine Landscape van der Weyden: The Descent from the Cross – Durán Madonna
Italian	Fra Angelico: Annunciation Anguissola: Portrait of Elisabeth of Valois – Portrait of Infanta Isabella Clara Eugenia ^[3] – Portrait of Giovanni Battista Caselli Barocci: Nativity Bellini: Madonna and Child with Saint Mary Magdalene and Saint Ursula Botticelli: The Story of Nastagio Degli Onesti, part one Caravaggio: David and Goliath Carracci: Assumption of the Virgin – Mural Paintings from the Herrera Chapel – Venus, Adonis and Cupid Correggio: Noli me tangere – Madonna and Child with the Infant John the Baptist A. Gentileschi: The Birth of Saint John the Baptist O. Gentileschi: The Finding of Moses (1633) Leonardo: Mona Lisa (by his studio) Lotto: Portrait of Marsilio Cassotti and His Bride Faustina Mantegna: Death of the Virgin Parmigianino: Holy Family with Angels – Portrait of Camilla Gonzaga and Her Three Sons – Portrait of Pier Maria Rossi di San Secondo – Saint Barbara Raphael: Portrait of a Cardinal – Christ Falling on the Way to Calvary – Madonna of the Rose – Visitation – La Perla (with Romano) Romano: Holy Family under an Oak Tree Andrea del Sarto: Sacrifice of Isaac Tintoretto: Christ Washing the Disciples' Feet – Joseph and Potiphar's Wife – Judith and Holofernes (by his studio) – The Washing of the Feet Tiepolo: The Immaculate Conception Titian: The Bacchanal of the Andrians – Equestrian Portrait of Charles V – The Fall of Man – Alfonso d'Avalos Addressing his Troops – Danaë Receiving the Golden Rain (1565) – The Entombment – La Gloria – Madonna and Child with St Anthony of Padua and St Roch – Mater Dolorosa – Philip II in Armour – Portrait of Charles V with a Dog – Portrait of Federico II Gonzaga – Portrait of Isabella of Portugal – Sisyphus – Tityus – Religion saved by Spain – Self-Portrait (1567) – St Margaret and the Dragon – Venus and Adonis (1554) – Venus and Musician (1550, 1555) – The Virgin and Child with Saint George and Saint Dorothy – The Worship of Venus Veronese: Venus and Adonis – Christ Among the Doctors – The Finding of Moses
French	Anonymous: Agony in the Garden Baudry: The Pearl and the Wave van Loo: The Family of Philip V (1743) Lorrain: Landscape with St Paula of Rome Embarking at Ostia – The Ford – Landscape with St María de Cervelló – Landscape with the Burial of St Serapia – Landscape with the Finding of Moses – Landscape with the Temptation of St Anthony – Landscape with Tobias and Raphael Poussin: Parnassus – Landscape with Three Figures – Saint Cecilia Ranc: The Family of Philip V (1723) – Portrait of Ferdinand VI as a Boy Watteau: Marriage Contract and Country Dancing Vouet: Time Defeated by Love, Beauty and Hope
Other	British paintings