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Description: | High relief inside the main tympanum of the East Front depicting Hercules dressed in a lion skin and brandishing a club, standing over two prostrate female figures( one dressed as a Roman Emperor) More female figures and several putti in a variety of poses surround the main group. Background design of trees, foliage and a sculpted calf mounted on a plinth. Decorative border around the edge with abstract and plant/leaf designs. Additional Information: Semi nude fallen female on the right represents Envy, figures on the left hand side which include a woman holding a censor and rosary, and a male figure throwing a burning torch at Hercules, may allude to Roman Catholicism. Three female figures to the right represent Fame, Commerce and History. Meaning of whole group probably refers to William's victory over James, his uncle and father in law, whose kingdom and crown William had usurped. William identified with Hercules and there are many references to him which he commissioned during his tenure of Hampton Court. An allegory of Hercules and Envy was considered to be inappropriate in the light of the real facts of the story by historians, including Harald Faber. (Life and Work of Caius Gabriel Cibber) | Subjects: | Sculpture | Source: | Vads | Creator: | Sculptor: Cibber, Gabriel | Identifier: | http://www.vads.ac.uk/large.php?uid=7140... | Go to resource |
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