Herakles Epitrapezios (Hercules of the Table), 1-100 (marble)

The Roman poets Martial and Statius mention a bronze statuette made by the master Greek sculptor Lysippos. It depicted the Greek hero Herakles seated on a large rock and holding a drinking cup and was created for Alexander the Great, who carried it with him on his military campaigns; Alexander and his father, Philip, claimed Herakles as an ancestor. Later the work was acquired by the highly respected Roman art collector Novius Vindex. The statuette is called epitrapezios (on the table) because it was designed to be displayed on a tabletop. Many copies were made to meet the demand of Roman collectors, who revered classical Greek art as a singular standard of excellence. The Cleveland version is a high-quality Roman marble copy.