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Painting of a nude hero with a bow facing a many-headed serpent on a rock column, with a sunset over the sea and a reclining nude figure in the foreground.

Hercules and the Lernaean Hydra

A nude hero stands on a rocky shore at left, bow in hand, facing a many-headed serpent coiled around a tall rock pillar at right. A reclining nude figure and a crouching figure lie in the foreground beside a pale sunset over the sea.

Artist
Gustave Moreau
Date
1875–76
Medium
Oil on canvas
Source
Art Institute of Chicago
Size
1686 × 1946 px
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Public domain · Art Institute of Chicago releases this image under CC0 (latest date 1876).
Rights checked 2026-11-05 · tier A · as stated by the source: CC0 (Art Institute of Chicago, is_public_domain=true)

Credit (appreciated, not required for public-domain works): Art Institute of Chicago, Gift of Mrs. Eugene A. Davidson

Greek and Roman MythsVanitas and Memento Morinudeoil on canvasmythologyrocky landscapeserpentsunsetheracleshydraherculesgustave moreau

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