Terracotta sculpture
Martine Maris, curator of the Rubens House: "The Roman demigod Hercules is a very important figure for Rubens. You can find him in many ways in his home, in his personal collection and in his artworks. Hercules embodies neo-stoicism. Rubens is a follower of that philosophical movement, just like his friend Balthasar I Moretus, who heads the Plantin Press."
"The sculpture is the work of Lucas Faydherbe (1617-1697), an apprentice and young friend of Rubens. In fact, Faydherbe is his protégé with whom he has a very close relationship. The fact that this sculpture is made in terracotta is extraordinary for me. Marble can be very impressive. But in terracotta, you can see the sculptor's fingerprint, sometimes even quite literally. It is much more direct and I like that."
The sculpture can be found in Room 6, accessible through the courtyard garden.
