Hercules. Francesco Segala (Padua, ca. 1535-1592). Area of Padua, 16th-17th century. Lead with traces of gilding.

cm 4 2x 25.5 x 12

This extremely rare gilded lead sculpture, of which traces of the gold coating remain, immediately recalls the style of Francesco Segala.

The iconographic reference to the Hercules preserved in the Civic Museums of Padua, paired with Omphale, seems fitting. Despite the differences in the drapery—here replaced with oak leaves, there with the fur of the Nemean lion—the two subjects are easily superimposed.

The difference in material makes the finish much more "cursive" in our sculpture, but if we imagine it covered in a thick layer of gold, of which significant traces remain, everything changes.

The "poor" material is ennobled by the splendor of the coating.

Our Hercules maintains a frontal view, as the back is hollow. This construction detail suggests it was placed in a niche. The use of this material could perhaps indicate its intended use as a domestic fountain, perhaps paired with his wife Omphale or other deities. These are, of course, purely conjectures.

Bibliography:
AAVV, edited by Davide Banzato, Donatello and his time, exhibition catalogue, Skira ed., Geneva-Milan, 2001, pp. 326-327.