High Relief: Heracles Capturing The Cretan Bull

The fourth metope depicts Herakles' capture of the Cretan Bull, which he was to bring alive to King Eurystheus. The Early Classical choice of a moment late in the struggle is again shown. Herakles has already roped the bull and is bringing him under final control. In order to emphasize the huge size of the bull, the sculptor has created a new composition for the first depiction of this episode on a monumental scale. Herakles and the bull form two crossing diagonals, with the head and right foreleg of the bull pulled back in order that its body can occupy the entire breadth of the metope. The heads of both Herakles and the bull are turned back and face each other in order to knit the composition even more closely. The upper two-thirds of the metope (in Paris) are relatively complete, missing the exception of the arms and legs of Herakles. The head of the bull and the lower third of the metope are in Olympia. Lower third of metope and projecting elements are very battered. Surface of upper metope, though weathered, is better preserved. At the time of their discovery the fragments still retained some color, red on the bull and blue on the background.