Georges Van De Voorde, “Hercules and the Eagle”, Bronze with Marble Plinth, 1930′s, Height 60.1 cm
Born at the West Flanders city of Kortrijk in April of 1878, Georges Van de Voorde was a Belgian sculptor who specialized in nude figures, portraits, ornamental clock bases, decorative objects, and allegorical sculptures. He studied sculpture in the workshop of Belgian sculptor Constant Devreese and worked for a period in France. Van de Voorde’s work was included in the sculptural art exhibition at the 1936 XL Summer Olympics in Berlin, Germany. He died in Anderlecht, Belgium in June of 1964 at the age of eighty-six. Van de Voorde’s work is housed in numerous private collections.
The sculpture is a depiction of Hercules (Heracles) slaying the Eagle to free Prometheus, giver of fire to man. Hesiod’s “Theogony” and Aeschylus’ “Prometheus Unbound” both tell that Heracles shot and killed the eagle that tortured Prometheus. This was Prometheus’ punishment by Zeus for stealing fire from the gods and giving it to mortals. Hercules freed the Titan from his chains and his torments. Prometheus then made predictions regarding the further deeds of Hercules.