The Farnese Bull and the Farnese Hercules

The name "Farnese" has been bestowed upon several celebrated works of art.

It was the name of an illustrious family in Italy from the middle of the thirteenth century to 1731, when the family became extinct. Many of its members filled the highest offices of the Church of Rome.

The Farnese Palace at Rome, one of the finest in the city, was erected by Cardinal Alessandro Farnese, afterwards Pope Paul III. (1534-49). The antique sculptures for which it was renowned are now in the museum at Naples; and two at least still bear the name of their original owners,--the Farnese Bull and the Farnese Hercules.

I. The Farnese Bull is a colossal work of art consisting of many figures, executed from a single block of marble, by Apollonius and Tauriscus of the Rhodian School of Art, which flourished 300 B.C.

According to Pliny, this group was brought from Rhodes to Rome, where it first adorned the library of Asinius Pollio, and then the Baths of Caracalla. It was discovered among the ruins of the latter in 1546. Under Paul III. it was restored by Bianchi, who worked according to the direction of Michael Angelo, and was placed in the Farnese Palace.

"The subject of the composition refers to the punishment which Zethus and Amphion, the sons of Antiope, destined for Dirce, in order to revenge their mother. For Dirce had not only tormented Antiope with singular barbarity, but had even ordered her two sons, who had grown up unknown as shepherds, to bind her to the horns of a wild bull, and let her be dragged to death. The murder of their mother was on the point of taking place, when the recognition between mother and sons was brought about by a fortunate chance. The tables were now turned, and the furious sons inflicted on Dirce the punishment which she had devised for Antiope.

"The group represents this moment. According to tradition, the scene takes place on the Cithaeron, which is indicated by the rocky soil and the small figure of a shepherd, who is looking on, and by various animals of the chase. Zethus and Amphion, two vigorous though slender youthful figures, are standing opposite each other on a projection of the rock, endeavoring to restrain the wildly resisting bull, and fasten the victim to it. Dirce, whose beautiful body, only partly concealed by drapery, has fallen helplessly, as if paralyzed with horror, is imploring in vain for pity, and clasping the leg of one of the brothers. Inexorably they both continue their work, while Antiope is quietly looking on in the background. In the next moment the voluptuous beauty of the splendid female figure will be forever annihilated.

"The group has similar excellencies with that of the Laocoon, (q.v.), and is perhaps even more artistically and boldly constructed: it merits admiration also in a technical point of view as the most colossal marble work of antiquity."

II. The Farnese Hercules was also discovered in the Baths of Caracalla, Rome, during the reign of Paul III.; but the legs were missing.

The Pope's nephew, Cardinal Alessandro Farnese, employed Michael Angelo to supply them; but it is said that he destroyed his work, saying it was not for man to finish the work of gods.

The legs were afterwards found in a well three miles from the place where the statue was discovered. The statue is now complete, except its left hand.

"The Farnese Hercules is the work of an Athenian, Glycon, and is a copy of an original of Lysippus. The hero is represented as resting from his work; but he is standing erect, and supporting himself only with his left shoulder on his club, which is covered with the lion's skin. In his right hand, which is resting against the back, he is holding the apples of the Hesperidae.

"The design is extremely grand; and the figure has something of the ideal form of a demi-god, not merely from its colossal size, but still more from the powerful structure of the limbs."

"The placid attitude of the Hercules, and benign inclination of head, seem to invite adoration, and rather announce the divinity of some temple than a mere object of sculpture displaying, as it is thought, the muscles of a man just respiring from toil."