IL TORSO D'ERCOLE

Speranza

There has been a long polemic regarding the "Torso del Belvedere," and, given that it WAS once at the Belvedere courtyard, we might just as well keep that label!

An collective essay was published to prove that the torso was not, as the classical sources said, "ERCOLE," "in riposo" if you must, after the twelve labours, but "AIACE", "che contempla il suicidio".

However, there is the attribute of the lion skin at the back of the piece that seems to 'refudiate', as Sarah Palin would have it, this "AIACE" idea (however charming). I shall see if I can paste the detail (or 'particolare,' as the Italians prefer) I'm referring to, soon, I hope!

Cheers