1798
oil
canvas
From the collection of Montreal Museum of Fine Arts
Milo of Croton, Attempting to Test His Strength, Is Caught and Devoured by a Lion is a 1798 oil by Charles Meynier, a Neoclassicism work, depicting Heracles, held at Montreal Museum of Fine Arts.
This painting shows a man, Milo of Croton, struggling with a lion. He's naked except for a red cloth draped over his shoulder. The lion is biting his thigh, and Milo's face is contorted in pain. His right arm is raised, and his left arm is wrapped around the lion's head. In the background, there's a tree trunk and some foliage, but the focus is on the intense scene between Milo and the lion. The lion's fur is a warm golden color, and Milo's skin is pale. The artist, Charles Meynier, used bold brushstrokes and vivid colors to bring this dramatic moment to life. If you're interested in learning more about the artist behind this painting, you might want to look up Charles Meynier.
Charles Meynier (1763 or 1768, Paris – 1832, Paris) was a French painter of historical subjects in the late 18th and early 19th century. He was a contemporary of Antoine-Jean Gros and Jacques-Louis David.
See the richer artist page
