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Lot 155

A rare Vauxhall group of Hercules and the Nemean lion, circa 1756-58

29 September 2020, 10:30 BST
London, Knightsbridge

Sold for £1,785 inc. premium

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A rare Vauxhall group of Hercules and the Nemean lion, circa 1756-58

Hercules with his right foot resting on the back of the animal, its tail curled around his knee, his hands forcing open the mouth of the beast, his costume picked out in puce and pale yellow and painted with floral sprigs, on a shaped scrolled base, 14.9cm high

Footnotes

The origin of this group appears to be a bronze by Giambologna, without the usual intermediate Meissen source. The figure has been variously identified as Samson, David, and Hercules. A very similar group from the Barbara Leake Collection was sold by Bonhams on 12 March 2008, lot 78. Two further examples are in the Victoria and Albert Museum (accession nos. C.1334-1924 and C.1335-1924). See also those in the British Museum (accession no. 1887,0307,IV.6) and the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (accession no. 1988.927). An example with a separate rectangular plinth from the E A Rees Collection is illustrated by Bernard Watney, Longton Hall Porcelain (1957), pl.59A. Another with a plinth from The Rous Lench Collection was sold by Sotheby's on 1 July 1986, lot 300.

Additional information

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