Hercules and Antaeus

Italian 16th Century

National Gallery of Art

This oval relief sculpture depicts two male figures standing closely together near a tree. One man is embracing or leaning on the other with his arms outstretched, while the other holds him and leans backward. Both men have curly hair and appear to be nude, although the standing man has a cloth draped around his shoulder and arm that falls to the ground by his feet. In the background on the right, there is a thin tree with detailed branches. The sculpture is made of a golden-brown material with a dark patina accentuating some areas.