Antonio del Pollaiuolo, Herucles and Antaeus, 1470s

Hercules, one of many heroes of Greek legend (as well as a Disney movie), is best known for his twelve labors, where he triumphed over seemingly impossible odds with applications of cunning and superhuman strength. The impenetrable skin of the Nemean Lion dangles from his waist in most depictions, taken from one of his earliest triumphs. Here, Hercules wrestles with the half-giant Antaeus, the son of Gaia, who draws his strength from the earth. While in contact with his mother's element, he is invincible, but Hercules simply lifts him off his feet until he perishes. Antonio del Pollaiuolo captures the fighters in this moment, two curved, supple forms clashing against each other as Antaeus writhes in his death throes.

Often, Pollaiuolo's paintings, engravings, and sculptures of men take on a bestial, animalistic aspect, as here. Pollaiuolo dissected corpses to further his knowledge of anatomy, and the clear, well defined muscles give testament to that fact. The two figures contrast sharply, with Hercules's wide, solid stance and stolid expression contrasting with Antaeus's wild flailing, as though the two have exchanged essences; Hercules's mortal frailness and Antaeus's grounded surety have swapped places. The tortoises supporting the base give a further symbolism of tenaciousness and stability.

The two figures are almost sexualized, bodies locked together in their conflict and backs arched. Antaeus has his head thrown back, screaming in an expression of pain and near-ecstasy. The balletic curves described by both men crush against each other, well-defined muscles standing out sharply. The fight between Hercules and Antaeus was a popular subject of Pollaiuolo's, who also painted the scene several times. This statue, with its contained, frenzied energy, was studied and sketched by both Leonardo and Michelangelo, being famous at the time for the unusual pose and brutal power.