Blair Castle, walled garden. View of statue of Hercules by John Cheere 1743. Digital image of PT 4408.

Description Blair Castle, walled garden. View of statue of Hercules by John Cheere 1743. Digital image of PT 4408.

Date 1973

Catalogue Number SC 767221

Category On-line Digital Images

Copy of PT 4408

Scope and Content Statue of 'Hercules', Hercules Garden, Blair Castle, Perth & Kinross This shows a lead figure representing 'Hercules resting from his labours', made by sculptor John Cheere (1709-87) in 1743. The statue is based upon the 3rd-century AD 'Farnese Hercules', by the Athenian sculptor and copyist Glycon (who copied it from the original work by Lysippus of the 5th century BC). The hero is shown resting on his club, which is draped with the pelt of a lion. This sculpture is still in its original position as the focal point of the 'Hercules Wilderness', at the end of 'The Long Walk'. Classical statuary like this example was placed within landscaped gardens to be admired by those walking in the park, whilst also suggesting the wealth and taste of the landowner to his guests. Blair Castle, the seat of the Dukes of Atholl, was begun in 1269, extended in the 15th and 16th centuries, and remodelled to resemble a Georgian mansion by architect James Winter in the mid-1700s. The south-east wing was built in 1743-5, and rebuilt to include a clock tower to designs by architect Archibald Elliot in 1814 after a fire. The castle was 're-baronialised' to designs by architect David Bryce in 1869-71, who also designed the ballroom (1826-7). It was modified again in 1886 (J C Walker), 1904-5 (J McIntyre Henry) and 1920-1 (Sir Robert Lorimer). Source: RCAHMS contribution to SCRAN.

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/collection/767221

File Format (TIF) Tagged Image File Format bitmap