"Hercules Removes Cerberus from the Gates of Hell"-1855. Johan Koler

June 17th, 2013 

For my final blog I would like to talk about Johann Koler's Neoclassical painting "Hercules Removes Cerberus from the Gates of Hell." For our group presentation we talked about and related Classical, Neoclassical and Modern takes on the 12th labor of Hercules a vase from 350 B.C. As shown here. 

Reflect back on artist life and time in history

Johann Koler was born in 1826 in present day Estonia interesting enough Johann was also a leader in Estonian nation awakening which was the history in time were Estonians came to a nation who had the rights to govern themselves. Johann was actually born of framer parents and worked his way up by going to elementary school and continuing to paint in and study in college.

His talent was later found while in St. Petersburg around 1845. After traveling to various places such as Paris via Berlin, Netherlands, Belgium, Florence and Rome.

 As explained in “Art  Groves Dictionary of Art” by Jane Turner..

What I find interesting about Johann Koler and this specific painting was retracing back to his Country. The fight for his country coming into their own independence. I find it interesting him doing this of Hercules, could this painting stand for the fight between his country being independent. Hercules could represent the country of Estonian and the Cerberus could be the Republic of Estonia which happened 1850 and the painting was made in 1855.

How we can tell this is Hercules

We can tell this is Hercules by the Niemen Lion skin draped over his head and down his body.  Which was Hercules first labor of the 12^th. The Niemen Lion named after the town in which the lion terrorized.  Also we can make this painting identifiable of Hercules by the massive club in his right hand, which he used to kill the Niemen Lion. We can also tell that this is later in his life and labors by his beard.

These traits are also depicted in the vase as seen before as our main subject.  The beard, the club the Niemen lion skin, and of course the 12^th labor the Cerberus, these help to depict a more accurate picture of a closer replica of the 530 BC Hercules vase.