Using Attributes to Identify Stories in Art

In this activity, you will:

• Examine and describe an ancient work of art.
• Understand how attributes tell us about an ancient mythological character.
• Sketch a scene from ancient Greek mythology that uses attributes to tell a story.

• Multiple Parts

• Paper
• Pencils
• Colored pencils (optional)

Examine the Statue of Hercules

Before you read anything, just look. Spend at least 3 minutes examining the Statue of Hercules. Then answer the following questions.

• Describe the figure and the details you see. What does the body look like? Is anything draped over it?
• What is the figure holding in each hand?
• How would you describe the figure’s pose? Is the figure active or at rest? Tense or relaxed? What does the body language communicate to you?
• What visual clues tell you this is Hercules? What do you already know about Hercules or his story that matches what you see?

Read About the Statue

Read Explore Statue of Hercules. As you read, keep two lists in your notes:

1. Details I already noticed: things you spotted on your own before reading about it
2. Details I missed: things you noticed after reading about it

Identify the Attributes

In art, an attribute is an object, pose, or symbol that helps you identify a specific figure. This statue shows two important attributes for Hercules, both having to do with the first of his Twelve Labors:

• a club—which he used to stun the Nemean lion before killing it
• a lion skin—the hide of the beast that he killed

Can you think of a modern character—a superhero, a movie villain, a famous icon—who has their own attributes? What objects or symbols instantly identify them?

Create a Drawing That Uses Attributes to Tell a Story

Ancient artists didn’t write labels on their works—they used attributes to communicate. Now you’ll try doing the same thing by making a drawing that uses attributes to help tell the story.

Start by reading about Hercules’s Twelve Labors. Think about which labors give you the richest visual story to tell. Then, select one labor to draw.

Before drawing anything, make notes to plan your drawing. Include answers to the following questions.

• What are at least two specific attributes that you will include to help tell your story? They could be objects, animals, or symbols that identify this exact labor.
• What moment in the story will you depict? Will it be towards the beginning, at the very end, or somewhere in the middle of the labor?
• What pose or gestures can you include to help tell the story? Describe what Hercules’s body is doing in your drawing. Is he mid-battle? Exhausted afterwards? Triumphant?
• What do you want a viewer to understand without any words?

After completing your planning notes, it’s time to draw! Make an outline of each detail listed in your notes. Include attributes, gestures, and any other visual clues that help to tell the viewer about the story.

When your drawing is done, share it with a partner or your class. For each drawing, try to identify which labor is shown without being told. If someone can’t identify your labor from the details and attributes included, discuss what you might add or change to tell the story more clearly.

A special object or symbol that helps you recognize a person or god in art (like Zeus holding a lightning bolt).