What makes a hero? Is it their birth, their deeds, their virtues? This exhibit tracks the nature of heroism through works featured in the Humanities Sequence's Ancient World course. From the Trojan war to the Crucifixion, different ideas and ideals of heroism are examined. Are you a hero because of your divine birth? Because you have a glorious destiny? Because you fought bravely or died for a cause you believe in? Can you be a hero by enduring or by bumbling around in an entertaining way? If your great deeds are attained by leaving other people hurt or dead, can you truly be considered a hero? These ideas are examined throughout the works of the period. It is hard to determine what 'really' makes a hero out of all these conflicting accounts, but one thing is for certain: a hero makes for one memorable story.
The Education of Achilles, Eugène Delacroix, 1862, From the collection of: The J. Paul Getty Museum
Achilles is the son of a goddess, trained to be a hero by the centaur Chiron. From the beginning, he is groomed to have a grand destiny.
Storage Jar with Achilles and Ajax Gaming, about 510 B.C., From the collection of: The J. Paul Getty Museum
Achilles is one of the Greek heroes of the Trojan war, famed for his ability in battle. He knows fighting will earn him death and glory, while refusing to fight will lead to a simple but longer life.
Shield of Achilles, Philip Rundell, 1821, From the collection of: Royal Collection Trust, UK
Achilles leaves the war when his honor is insulted, but he reenters it for vengeance. The hero carries on his shield the world he will never experience, giving a mortal edge to this godlike figure.
Achilles Dragging the Body of Hector, Pietro Testa, c. 1648/1650, From the collection of: National Gallery of Art, Washington DC
After defeating Hector, Achilles drags his corpse around Troy and Patroclus' grave. This bloodthirsty display turns the gods against him. Heroes must follow a moral code.
Amphora (Storage Vessel) with the Ransom of the Body of Hector, Attributed to The Rycroft Painter, about 520-510 BCE, From the collection of: The Toledo Museum of Art
When Achilles accepts the ransom of Priam, he displays the humanity and empathy needed for a true hero. Violence is prized, but so is civility.
Priam Pleads with Achilles for Hector's Body, Bertel Thorvaldsen, 1815, From the collection of: Thorvaldsens Museum
His observation of respect for the laws of supplication and ransom are important, since in the Iliad heroes are defined partly by their allegiance to social rules.
Bronze Corinthian helmet, Corinthian workshop, -0600/-0550, From the collection of: Benaki Museum of Greek Civilization
Next comes the Peloponnesian War. Are the men fighting for Athenian democracy or against tyranny heroes? The History does not glorify their deaths as the Iliad does. Instead, war is bleak and brutal.
Portrait of Pericles, Unknown, -430, From the collection of: Altes Museum, Staatliche Museen zu Berlin
Pericles is a good orator and strategist, but his 'democracy' has become a tyranny. He echoes the Homeric idea that the dead of Athens will live on in honor and glory, but the plague contradicts him.
Portrait of Thucydides, Unknown, 1st century B.C.–2nd century A.D., From the collection of: The J. Paul Getty Museum
Thucydides claims humanity is driven by self-interest. In that case, can we be heroic? Maybe heroism is overcoming that. Or maybe it fits in - Achilles fights and dies partly in interest of honor.
Medea and the Daughters of Pelias, Unknown, -420/-410, From the collection of: Altes Museum, Staatliche Museen zu Berlin
Protagonists are not always heroes. Medea commits crimes for Jason, but does that excuse them? She is described like a warrior, but her crimes are seen as worse than the gory deeds of the Iliad.
She murders her husband's new bride to be and father in law and then slays her own children before escaping, aided by the gods. This implies that they at least approve of what she has done.
Medea, Frederick Sandys, 1866/1868, From the collection of: Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery
Her witchcraft, foreign status, and failure to fit into a proper female mold make her alien and hostile, but the play's refusal to punish her leaves her status uncertain.
Jason with the Golden Fleece, Bertel Thorvaldsen, 1803, From the collection of: Thorvaldsens Museum
Jason is considered a hero, although he meets a shameful death after breaking his vow to Medea. Are his heroics stained by her crimes?
Border with Job Mocked by His Wife and Tormented by Two Devils, Simon Bening, about 1525–1530, From the collection of: The J. Paul Getty Museum
What about Job? Is it heroic to endure rather than fight, or is Job merely the victim of a divine scuffle?
Job is not patient. He questions God's justice and demands answers, believing that he has been treated unfairly. In the end, God rewards him for his behavior and restores his comfort.
The Destruction of Job's sons plate 3 from 'Illustrations of the Book of Job', William BLAKE, 1823-26, published 1874 by John Linnell (2nd edition), From the collection of: Art Gallery of South Australia
Culturally, Job is presented as heroic for endurance, patience, and faith. In the poem, though, he is rewarded for questioning authority and injustice. His values have been reinterpreted over time.
Storage Jar with Aeneas and Anchises, about 510 B.C., From the collection of: The J. Paul Getty Museum
What about a hero that runs away? Aeneas too is the son of a goddess and destined for glory, but he must seek it by surviving.
Aeneas and Anchises escaping from Troy, John Cheere (1709-1787), 1756 -, From the collection of: National Palace of Queluz
Aeneas flees his city while it is sacked, rather than standing and fighting, but he shows filial piety by protecting his father, and he goes toward a greater destiny.
Dido Excoriates Aeneas, from Book IV of the "Aeneid", Jean-Michel Moreau le jeune, 1803, From the collection of: The J. Paul Getty Museum
Fate compels Aeneas to continue onward until he accomplishes the founding of Rome. Having a duty toward his people and his future is important, but it involves abandoning a woman who loves him.
(Back), From the collection of: The J. Paul Getty Museum
In despair, Dido kills herself. Is she a necessary sacrifice for Aeneas's success, or is this a shameful blot on his story?
Aeneas in the Underworld, Roman 18th/19th Century, 1780/1820, From the collection of: National Gallery of Art, Washington DC
Many heroes face the underworld or 'belly of the whale' figuratively, but Aeneas literally enters the realm of the dead - a classic part of the hero's journey.
Holy Family with St. Anne and the Infant St. John, Agnolo di Cosimo, called Bronzino, 1545/1546, From the collection of: Kunsthistorisches Museum Wien
Jesus too is the son of divine power, destined for great things. He is the Messiah, meant to redeem mankind.
The Mother of God of Tenderness of the White Lake, Unknow, First half of the 13th century, From the collection of: The State Russian Museum
Unlike some heroes who confirm their worth by adhering to social norms, however, Jesus challenges existing beliefs and practices. He promotes new morals, values, and lifestyles.
Christ Teaching, about 1000, From the collection of: The J. Paul Getty Museum
His struggle against opposition does not come in violent battles but in spreading knowledge to all who will hear it, which often concerns those in power.
The Agony in the Garden, Unknown, late 13th century, From the collection of: The J. Paul Getty Museum
However, he too must face and accept his oncoming death. His disquiet as the time approaches shows the humanity in this son of God.
Triptych: The Crucifixion, Rogier van der Weyden, 1443/1445, From the collection of: Kunsthistorisches Museum Wien
His death is not the end of his story though, or even the only reason why he wins 'glory'.
Mystic Crucifixion, Sandro Botticelli (Alessandro Filipepi), c. 1500, From the collection of: Harvard Art Museums
Instead, he goes a step further and defeats death while rescuing all of humanity.
Initial V: The Ascension, Lorenzo Monaco, Zanobi di Benedetto Strozzi, Battista di Biagio Sanguini, designed about 1410; completed about 1431, From the collection of: The J. Paul Getty Museum
Jesus' act of heroism is to win the human race forgiveness for its sins and provide a guiding light for how to achieve salvation through his example.
A Donkey, Baranquilla, Columbia, Frederic Edwin Church, May 1853, From the collection of: Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum
Can a hero be a simple bystander? In the Golden Ass, the narrator is not exceptionally skilled or brave. Often, he comes across as foolish.
Mulet (Mule or Saddled Donkey), Jacques-Philippe Le Bas and Jean Eric Rehn after Jean-Baptiste Oudry, 1707/1783, From the collection of: National Gallery of Art, Washington DC
However, his wit and stories - along with his role as narrator - make him the hero of his own tale. He is a hero of charisma and caprice, not epic ability.
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The J. Paul Getty Museum
Kunsthistorisches Museum Wien
National Palace of Queluz
National Gallery of Art, Washington DC
The State Russian Museum
Thorvaldsens Museum
Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery
Art Gallery of South Australia
The Toledo Museum of Art
Harvard Art Museums
Benaki Museum of Greek Civilization
Altes Museum, Staatliche Museen zu Berlin
Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum
Royal Collection Trust, UK