The statue was discovered at the end of the 19th century by Alexander Cunningham in Mathura. It depicts a defaced male strangling a lion. It has been interpreted as a sculpture created by a foreign artist that shows Herakles strangling the Nemaean lion.[1] However, the male is wearing lion's skin, the legs of which are tied around his neck, which has been interpreted as proof that the foreign artist lacked full knowledge of the Greek mythology, because he is shown already wearing the skin of the lion he is fighting.[2][3]
The man fighting the lion in the scene is very generally considered as being Herakles, but some authors have suggested that an Indian sculptor, influenced by western art, could have meant to represent Krishna for example.[4] It may also be connected to the cult of Vasudeva, who is thought to have been corresponded to the legend of Herakles.[2]
The statue is similar to statues of the Lycian Apollo.[2] On its discovery, Cunningham wrote that the statue must be of Herakles and the Nemaean lion, that there is high probability that this was sculptured by some foreign artist for the use of the Greek resident of Mathura.[5] It is generally considered as an example of influence from the Greek art on ancient Indian art.[6][7][8] According to James Harle, there is "no Gandharan sculpture whose source can be so directly traced" to Greece as the Mathura Herakles.[9]
Galleryedit
Herakles on the reverse of the Indo-Greek coinage of Lysias, 130-125 BCE.
^The Art and Architecture of the Indian Subcontinent, James C. Harle, Yale University Press, 1994 p.67
^"CNG: Printed Auction Triton X. INDIA, Kushan Empire. Huvishka. Circa AD 152-192. AV Dinar (7.99 g, 12h). Mint B. 1st emission". cngcoins.com. Retrieved 14 September 2017.
External linksedit
January 01, 1970
mathura, herakles, famous, statue, found, city, mathura, india, thought, represent, greek, hero, herakles, fighting, nemean, lion, mathura, statue, herakles, strangling, nemean, lion, materialred, sandstonesize74, tallperiod, culture2nd, century, cediscovered2. The Mathura Herakles is a famous statue found in the city of Mathura India thought to represent the Greek hero Herakles fighting the Nemean lion Mathura HeraklesMathura statue of Herakles strangling the Nemean lion Materialred sandstoneSize74 cm tallPeriod culture2nd Century CEDiscovered27 36 00 N 77 39 00 EPlaceMathura India Present locationIndian Museum Kolkata IndiaDiscovery Mathura India Contents 1 History 2 Significance 3 Gallery 4 See also 5 References 6 External linksHistory editThe statue was discovered at the end of the 19th century by Alexander Cunningham in Mathura It depicts a defaced male strangling a lion It has been interpreted as a sculpture created by a foreign artist that shows Herakles strangling the Nemaean lion 1 However the male is wearing lion s skin the legs of which are tied around his neck which has been interpreted as proof that the foreign artist lacked full knowledge of the Greek mythology because he is shown already wearing the skin of the lion he is fighting 2 3 The man fighting the lion in the scene is very generally considered as being Herakles but some authors have suggested that an Indian sculptor influenced by western art could have meant to represent Krishna for example 4 It may also be connected to the cult of Vasudeva who is thought to have been corresponded to the legend of Herakles 2 The statue is now in the Indian Museum in Kolkata Significance editThe statue is similar to statues of the Lycian Apollo 2 On its discovery Cunningham wrote that the statue must be of Herakles and the Nemaean lion that there is high probability that this was sculptured by some foreign artist for the use of the Greek resident of Mathura 5 It is generally considered as an example of influence from the Greek art on ancient Indian art 6 7 8 According to James Harle there is no Gandharan sculpture whose source can be so directly traced to Greece as the Mathura Herakles 9 Gallery edit nbsp Herakles on the reverse of the Indo Greek coinage of Lysias 130 125 BCE nbsp Herakles as Vajrapani protector of the Buddha nbsp Herakles with the Nemean lion Gandhara nbsp Herakles as Vajrapani nbsp Herakles Vajrapani with the Buddha holding the Heraklean club nbsp The Buddha with his protector Vajrapani Gandhara 2nd century CE nbsp Herakles Vajrapani with a group of Buddhist monks Gandhara nbsp Herakles on the reverse of a Kushan coin of emperor Huvishka 140 180 CE 10 nbsp Mathura Herakles See also editMathura art Megasthenes Herakles Bhutesvara YakshisReferences edit Report of a tour in the Central Provinces and Lower Gangetic Doab in 1881 82 A S I vol XVII Calcutta 1884 p 109 110 a b c The Dynastic Arts of the Kushans by John M Rosenfield p 9 History of Early Stone Sculpture at Mathura Ca 150 BCE 100 CE by Sonya Rhie Quintanilla p 158 Aspects of Indian Art by Pratapaditya Pal p 7 Report of a tour in the Central Provinces and Lower Gangetic Doab in 1881 82 A S I vol XVII Calcutta 1884 p 109 110 Aspects of Indian Art by J E Van Lohuizen De Leuve published by Pratapaditya Pal 1 Hellenism in Ancient India by Gauranga Nath Banerjee p 90 Art of India by Vincent Arthur Smith p 98 The Art and Architecture of the Indian Subcontinent James C Harle Yale University Press 1994 p 67 CNG Printed Auction Triton X INDIA Kushan Empire Huvishka Circa AD 152 192 AV Dinar 7 99 g 12h Mint B 1st emission cngcoins com Retrieved 14 September 2017 External links editThe Mathura Herakles in the Kolkata Indian Museum Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Mathura Herakles amp oldid 1186253392, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
