Bears in Art

As we toured Rome, our favorite mythical figure and popular subject for classical sculpture was undoubtedly Hercules, readily identifiable by the club he carries and the fashionable lion's skin he's usually wearing. This version is unusual in that it represents the Roman Emperor Commodus in the guise of Hercules. This remarkably well-preserved sculpture is a much treasured part of the Capitoline Museums' collection.

Hercules in this portrayal is euphemistically described as "drunken". Fine. And we all know what one has to do after one has drunk too much. But even drunk and pissing, this Hercules cuts a pretty agreeable figure.

The Farnese Hercules is one of the finest and sexiest of the many, many images of Hercules in classical art. The postcard tells us only that it is a "Marble Statue; copy from original of Lisippo", and that it is in the National Museum of Naples.

Given the nearly 300 popes that history has seen, you can bet that there will be some attractive bears among them. This portrait bust of Pope Paul V (Camillo Borghese, died in 1621) caught our eye. His very short haircut and fashionable van Dyke beard seem very modern these days. By Bernini, it's in the Borghese Gallery, Rome.

This is a detail from a frescoed Transfiguration by Fra Angelico, made about 1440 in San Marco. It shows St. Peter, who more often than not in Medieval and Renaissance representations is a very attractive, grey-bearded bear, thus putting him high on our list of favorite Apostles (and Popes as well, since he was, after all, the first).

This enormous equestrian statue of Marcus Aurelius is the cherished emblem of the Capitoline Museums in Rome. Cast in bronze, the original is kept on display in a special gallery, while a very faithful reproduction takes pride of place in the center of the plaza between the Museum buildings. Aurelius may not replace Hadrian as our favorite emperor, but he certainly is a pretty imposing figure.

Michelangelo's painting of the Sistine Chapel ceiling is justly famous, but some of its smaller scenes are sometimes overlooked. This detail depicts the embarrassment of Noah's sons when they find their Daddy Bear drunk and naked, and they hurry to cover him up. Fortunately, Michelangeo captured the moment just before they succeeded.

This "hunter with hare" is a roughly third-century piece we saw in the Capitoline Museums, in Rome. Seeing it made us realize just how rare it was to see images of young men with beards in classical sculpture, which is a pity, given the agreeable aspect of this one.

It's difficult to say whether this famous statue in the Palazzo Vechio depicts Hercules and Diomedes in fierce combat or demonstrating an unusual position for 69. Nevertheless, it remains one of our favorites.

Again, from a postcard with rather little information. The statue, "of Marsyas", is in the Museo Gregoriano Profano, Vatican City. We can't get over the nagging feeling that it looks like someone we know, but who?