Michelangelo Buonarroti, Hercules and Cacus (1530)

terracotta, h. 41 cm
Florence, Casa Buonarroti

This terracotta represents the tenth labor of Hercules, the struggle against Cacus, an evil god. This is a model for a monument that would have been collocated in Florence in Piazza della Signoria, but the work was realized by Baccio Bandinelli.
This work is present in this virtual exhibition because it is an example of how Michelangelo manages to give life to the material. Stretched muscles, struggling bodies, energy, strenght, virility: every detail expresses great ralism. Both Michelangelo and Ugo Guidi try to involve the observer, both reaching their aim but with different ways: Michelangelo is very able in representing reality while Ugo Guidi let the material live from inside surprising who observes his Wounded figure with a broken marble block from which the blood gushes out.

A project by
Federico Giannini

Museo Ugo Guidi
(Forte dei Marmi)

Associazione Amici
del Museo Ugo Guidi
Onlus


Humanities
Computing

University of Pisa