This lead statue of Hercules fighting a stone headed hydra with a wooden club stands at the east end of the top terrace of Powis Castle garden.
The fine statues at Powis were made in the workshop of Flemish John van Nost at the time the terraces were being created. The Hercules is signed by Andries Carpentiere, one of van Nost’s leading craftsmen. With the Fame and Pegasus, now in the courtyard, it probably once stood in the former water garden.*
*From the Powis Castle garden guidebook.
Superb photo’s. I haven’t been to Powis in ages, I love the Magnolia in the background too.
Thank you
Powis is one of my favourite places to visit. The magnolis was magnificent.
A wonderful classical statue!
It is very impressive
they sure knew how to make statues back then !!!
They certainly did
What mighty a ‘hero’ …
It seems everyone needs a good classical hero
WOW! I would feel safe with such a mighty man guarding my land. Don’t see too many these days…unless in stone! Great photos, Cherie.
Such mighty heros seem a thing of the past. But there again I think the girls these days wouldn’t appreciate them so much… so the hero’s are a dying breed
Cherie, What a beautiful statue–you keep traveling to such interesting places and sharing such lovely posts. Hope you have a blessed and happy Easter, my friend. Mickie
I am glad you are enjoying the virtual visits.
Happy Easter to you too
There’s also a Hercules statue in Gibraltar, overlooking the Strait of Gibraltar.
Oh I miss their apes.
I have heard they are quite vicious…
Hercules’ pose reminds me a bit of the end of my golf swing… The comparison ends there however.
And he was taking a risk of a nasty bite fighting that toothy hydra bare naked. Brave but silly, I’d suggest. Maybe the hydra caught him unawares in that state of undress, or maybe he just liked to walk about like that and show off. (Don’t know much about Hercules. Is that a skinned dog he’s got on his head? What a guy…).
With a bit of luck next time I encounter a hydra you be nearby with your golf club. I did wonder about his state of dress, perhaps he was woken up from his slumbers and was sleeping that rather strange garb he has on his head!
I’m just wondering if the wooden club was the best weapon for the job?
It doesn’t seem sturdy enough to me, but then these legendary heroes seem to manage all sorts of unrealistic feats of prowess.