Detail of Herakles' limb
Close up Eurystheus' head, back view
Detail of Herakles' leg and hand
Detail of Herakles' arm
Full figure of Eurystheus' head, profile
| Collection: | Olympia Archaeological Museum |
| Title: | Olympia Boar Metope |
| Context: | From Olympia |
| Findspot: | Excavated at Olympia |
| Summary: | Herakles and the Erymanthian Boar |
| Material: | Marble |
| Sculpture Type: | Architectural |
| Category: | Statuary group |
| Placement: | East Metope 1 |
| Style: | Early Classical |
| Technique: | High relief |
| Original or Copy: | Original |
| Date: | ca. 470 BC - ca. 457 BC |
| Dimensions: | H 1.60 m (approximately square) |
| Scale: | Under life-size |
| Region: | Elis |
| Period: | Early Classical |
| In Group: | Olympia Metopes |
Subject Description:
The seventh labor (the first metope on the East side) depicts Herakles intimidating King Eurystheus by holding the boar, which he has just captured in the Erymanthean mountains, over his head. Eurystheus has jumped into a pithos in order to hide. This metope in one of the less innovative ones compositionally, for it uses the scheme prevalent in the sixth century. An archaic shield band from Olympia, illustrated by Brommer, displays a comparable compositon in a roughly similar space, albeit on a much smaller scale. The Olympia metope exhibits its Early Classical character in the emphasis of simple geometric forms: the horizontal boar, the vertical tree on the left, the strong diagonal of Herakles' body cutting across the square.
Condition: Fragmentary
Condition Description:
Heads are in Paris. Herakles: both thighs, right ankle, buttocks and upper right arm. Eurystheus: head, torso, pithos including left and lower edges. Boar: fragment of head and forelegs. Also indication of a tree at left on fragment of Herakles' thigh.
Associated Building: Olympia, Temple of Zeus
Sources Used: