Hexagonal Bronze Plaque of Heracles Slaying Nemean Lion by Otto Hofner

Hexagonal Bronze Plaque of Heracles Slaying Nemean Lion by Otto Hofner This is a beautiful plaque signed by the famous O. Hofner in the right lower corner. It is 3.5 inches tall and 3 inches wide. About Otto Hofner: Austrian sculptor and medalist Otto Hofner was a three-time Olympian 1932-48 in the Art Competitions, and received an Honorable Mention for his work Ringkampf (Wrestling Match) in 1936 at the Berlin Olympic Games. His Boxer of the 1932 Olympic Games is explicitly designated as a “unique copy”. The statue was bought in 1935 for the Municipal Collections of the city of Wien. In 1948 he was entered posthumously, again with a bronze figure titled Boxer. Since there are no images of both, it is unknown whether they are similar or even identical (model / cast). Hofner started his education as a goldsmith, engraver and chaser, and then studied at the School of Applied Arts in Wien. With a scholarship he was able to travel to many countries in Western Europe. From 1904-15 he worked as a teacher at the gold and silversmith school in Wien (Vienna). Hofner also worked as a self-employed artist and mainly produced grave monuments, busts and portrait reliefs, but also medals, plaques and goldsmith works. He worked in bronze, marble and granite; more rarely he designed sculptures made of pewter, terracotta and stucco, as well as medals, glass objects and porcelain. During the time of the Austrian “Anschluss” to the Third Reich Hofner also created various Hitler busts. Otherwise, his work was influenced by Art Nouveau. About Heracles slaying the Lion: The first of Heracles' twelve labours, set by King Eurystheus (his cousin), was to slay the Nemean lion. Heracles wandered the area until he came to the town of Cleonae. There he met a boy who said that if Heracles slew the Nemean lion and returned alive within 30 days, the town would sacrifice a lion to Zeus; but if he did not return within 30 days or he died, the boy would sacrifice himself to Zeus.[6] Another version claims that he met Molorchos, a shepherd who had lost his son to the lion, saying that if he came back within 30 days, a ram would be sacrificed to Zeus. If he did not return within 30 days, it would be sacrificed to the dead Heracles as a mourning offering. While searching for the lion, Heracles fetched some arrows to use against it, not knowing that its golden fur was impenetrable; when he found the lion and shot at it with his bow, he discovered the fur's protective property when the arrow bounced harmlessly off the creature's thigh. After some time, Heracles made the lion return to his cave. The cave had two entrances, one of which Heracles blocked; he then entered the other. In those dark and close quarters, Heracles stunned the beast with his club. He eventually killed the lion by strangling it with his bare hands. Finally, Athena, noticing the hero's plight, told Heracles to use one of the lion's own claws to skin the pelt. When he returned on the thirtieth day, carrying the carcass of the lion on his shoulders, King Eurystheus was amazed and terrified. Eurystheus forbade him ever again to enter the city; in the future, he was to display the fruits of his labours outside the city gates. Eurystheus warned him that the tasks set for him would become increasingly difficult. He then sent Heracles off to complete his next quest, which was to destroy the Lernaean Hydra. Heracles wore the Nemean lion's coat after killing it, as it was impervious to the elements and all but the most powerful weapons. Others say that Heracles' armour was, in fact, the hide of the Lion of Cithaeron.