Formal Analysis: Heracles Smiting Acheloos

As my first formal analysis, I will be sharing a wall relief from the Ancient Near East called Heracles Smiting Acheloos (in the form of a bull). This fragmented piece is an example of the Late Egyptian Period. Sculptures such as this one were typically created to decorate, if you will, the public part of the tombs of Egyptian pagans. The deceased were often represented as a being of Greek or Roman mythology. For example, a nymph may assume the role of a young woman. In this case, the man portrayed, Heracles is the son of the Greek God, Zeus and is the epitome of masculinity. The bull is a representation of the Acheloos River in Greece because in ancient Greek mythology, the river’s spirit was that of the god named Acheloos.

The photo above displays this high-relief limestone carving of Heracles grasping a bull by his horn. Courage and stability is portrayed through this sculpture in various aspects. The way the man’s body is positioned and the rock-like shape in his hand suggests that he is about to strike the bull to kill it. The bull does not appear angry or mean, but he looks as if he is feeling threatened. Since prehistoric times, the bull has represented strength and nobleness; the fact that the bull seems to be dominated by Heracles demonstrates the bravery and power that this pagan must have had.    

The deep shadows behind Heracles really bring his body foreword in the piece and make him appear more important than anything else. I also notice the large black holes in the deep-set eyes of both the man and the bull. This is interesting because I see similar holes in the background (to the left of Heracles) with the plants. Perhaps those holes are the eyes of others, watching and admiring Heracles from the bushes.  One thing that I am drawn to look and in this piece is the man’s beard. Because of its more detailed texture and wavy characteristic, Heracles’ hair stands out from everything else in the scene, making him seem more god-like. The careful carvings of his abdomen emphasize the shape of his muscular body in which gives him a physically mature and dominant appearance. There is a likeness of these forms on his abdomen to the shapes of the plants and leaves in the background connecting him to Earth also giving him a godly personality.   

               

 If this carving really was a part of a man’s tomb to symbolize his personality, then this man must have been a hero.