Ancient Greek Art: Heracles & the Hydra

Heracles & the nine-headed Hydra | Greek vase, Athenian red figure volute krater

"Thereby was wrought the Hydra many-necked flickering its dread tongues. Of its fearful heads some severed lay on earth, but many more were budding from its necks, while Herakles and Iolaos, dauntless-hearted twain, toiled hard." - Quintus Smyrnaeus, Fall of Troy 6.212

M13.3 HERAKLES & THE HYDRA

Museum Collection: The J Paul Getty Museum, Malibu, California, USA
Catalogue Number: Malibu 77.AE.11
Beazley Archive Number: 201704
Ware: Attic Red Figure
Shape: Volute krater
Painter: Attributed to the Kleophrades Painter
Date: ca 490 BC
Period: Late Archaic

SUMMARY

Side A: Detail of Herakles battling the nine-headed serpent Hydra from a depiction of his twelve labours. The heads of the beast are shown with serpentine flesh-beards.
Side B: Peleus and Thetis (see other image)

ARTICLESHydra Lernaia

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