Interactive Exhibitions: Classical Heroes in Art
On this page you will find fourteen of the most frequently represented classical heroes in Western art, including figures from mythology, history, and literature. Each is illustrated with a work of art, where you can learn their specific symbols and characteristics, and ways to recognize them. Below each picture is information about the image, a brief history of the hero, as well as a list of other attributes or scenes in which they can commonly be found.
The images, which include paintings, sculptures, pottery, tapestries, mosaics, and works on paper, range from the 6th century BCE to the 20th century, covering a variety of geographical areas and artistic traditions. Some examples are canonical, while others are more obscure.
Click on any of the thumbnails below to access each saint's interactive exhibition.
Achilles Aeneas Alexander the Great Bellerophon
Dido Hector Helen Hercules
Jason Laocoön Odysseus Paris
Perseus Theseus