Cerberus Collection

Hercules Brings Cerberus to Eurystheus, with Hermes and Athena, c6th century BC. Greek Vase from an Etruscan Tomb

A statue of Hercules and Cerberus
Hercules is capturing Cerberus and completeing his twelfth labour. This is from the portal of the Michaelertrakt, Hofburg, Vienna

Relief from mausoleum of Hercules chaining Cerberus, c2nd century. Trier Museum

Dante and Virgil with three-headed monster, 1951. Creator: Shirley Markham
Dante and Virgil with three-headed monster, 1951. Design for illustration to Dantes " Divine Comedy". Shirley Markham (1931-1999)

Cerberus & Herakles
The last Labour of Herakles is to descend to the Underworld and capture the three-headed dog Cerberus; he does this, but returns the dog to Hades who needs him as a watchdog

Cerbere, chained by Hercules, infects the earth with his drool - Cerberus, chained by Hercules
FLO4607791 Cerbere, chained by Hercules, infects the earth with his drool - Cerberus, chained by Hercules, infects the Earth with his foam. Copperplate engraving by W

Roman mythology: Pluto, god of the underworld and the dead, wearing a crown
FLO4679873 Roman mythology: Pluto, god of the underworld and the dead, wearing a crown, a trident and holding the chain of Cerbere

Hades, showing Charon the ferryman, Cerberus, three-headed dog guarding entrance
536432 Hades, showing Charon the ferryman, Cerberus, three-headed dog guarding entrance, Pluto and Proserpine/Persephone (center left) and River Lethe

Heracles taming Cerberus, 16th century (marble)
JFS138554 Heracles taming Cerberus, 16th century (marble); Villa Loredan, Veneto, Italy; © John Ferro Sims

Hercules and Cerberus, published 1606. Creators: Antonio Tempesta, Wilhelm Janson
Hercules and Cerberus, published 1606. From The Metamorphoses of Ovid, pl. 68

Juno with the Furies at the Gate of Hell, published 1606. Creators: Antonio Tempesta, Wilhelm Janson
Juno with the Furies at the Gate of Hell, published 1606. From The Metamorphoses of Ovid, pl. 37

Hercules and Cerberus, 1608. Creators: Antonio Tempesta, Nicolaus van Aelst
Hercules and Cerberus, 1608. From The Labors of Hercules, pl. 11

Hercules Gets Cerberus from the Underworld (Charon, the Ferryman of the Styx), 1645-1650. Creator: Jacob van Campen
Hercules Gets Cerberus from the Underworld (Charon, the Ferryman of the Styx), 1645-1650

Orpheus and Eurydice, c.1701. Creator: Jacob Toorenvliet
Orpheus and Eurydice, c.1701. Orpheus tries to save Eurydice from the claws of the hound of Hades (Cerberus). His lyre is on the ground

Pluto and Cerberus, c.1555. Creator: Maerten van Heemskerck
Pluto and Cerberus, c.1555

Aeneas descends into the underworld. Creator: Philip Tideman
Aeneas descends into the underworld

Pluto Bringing Proserpine to the Gates of Hell. Creator: Carlo Maratti
Pluto Bringing Proserpine to the Gates of Hell

Aeneas and the Cumean Sybil, for the "Chinea" Festival, 1744. Creator: M Sorello
Aeneas and the Cumean Sybil, for the "Chinea" Festival, 1744

The Labors of Hercules: Bringing Cerberus from the Lower World, c. 1528. Creator: Gabriel Salmon
The Labors of Hercules: Bringing Cerberus from the Lower World, c. 1528

Hercules, Cerberus and the Mares of Diomedes, n.d. Creator: Unknown
Hercules, Cerberus and the Mares of Diomedes, n.d

Pluto, (Hades) with Cerberus and Eagle, c3rd century BC

Hercules and Cerberus: Hercules grasps the collar of Cerberus, two demons appear at left, from the series The Labors of Hercules, 1608

Cartoon, Sin, Death, and the Devil, Vide Milton, by James Gillray. A parody of a scene from John Milton's epic poem, Paradise Lost, showing Prime Minister William Pitt (left) as Death

Cartoon, The Problem-Picture of 1921, showing the Triple Alliance of Railways, Mines and Transport as Cerberus, the three-headed dog. Date: 1921

Orpheus and his lyre put to sleep Cerbere the dog with three heads, 1926 (Illustration)
7304408 Orpheus and his lyre put to sleep Cerbere the dog with three heads, 1926 (Illustration) by Rabier, Benjamin (1869-1939); Private Collection; (add.info)

Plate 26: Psyche enters the underworld giving an offering to Cerberus, with two elderly... 1530-60
Plate 26: Psyche enters the underworld giving an offering to Cerberus, with two elderly women at left, from the Story of Cupid and Psyche as told by Apuleius, 1530-60

Hercules and Cerberus, published ca. 1599-1622. published ca. 1599-1622. Creator: Anon
Hercules and Cerberus, published ca. 1599-1622

Cupids with Cerberus, 1517-18 (fresco)
2646201 Cupids with Cerberus, 1517-18 (fresco) by Raphael (Raffaello Sanzio of Urbino) (1483-1520) (& studio); Villa Farnesina, Rome, Italy; (add.info.: Rome, Villa Farnesina)

Orpheus frees Eurydice (chromolitho)
1094448 Orpheus frees Eurydice (chromolitho) by European School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Orpheus frees Eurydice)

PD. 10-1922 Allegory of the Labours of Hercules (pen & ink and wash)
FIT82781 PD.10-1922 Allegory of the Labours of Hercules (pen & ink and wash) by Cortona, Pietro da (Berrettini) (1596-1669); 22.3x36.2 cm; Fitzwilliam Museum, University of Cambridge

Enceladus Buried Underneath Mount Etna, 1731 (engraving)
STC134101 Enceladus Buried Underneath Mount Etna, 1731 (engraving) by Picart, Bernard (1673-1733); Private Collection; The Stapleton Collection; French, out of copyright

Pluto (oil on canvas)
ALI169134 Pluto (oil on canvas) by Carracci, Agostino (1557-1602); Galleria e Museo Estense, Modena, Italy; Alinari

Hell (engraving)
5207788 Hell (engraving) by English School, (18th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Hell. Illustration from The Fabulous Histories of the Heathen Gods, by Andrew Tooke)

Cupid wakes Psyche, who, having opened the jar containing the beauty of Proserpine has
BEN78432 Cupid wakes Psyche, who, having opened the jar containing the beauty of Proserpine has been overcome with sleep, lunette from the Sala di Amore e Psiche

Two gargoyles from the balustrade of the Grande Galerie of the west facade
ALI213261 Two gargoyles from the balustrade of the Grande Galerie of the west facade, replica of a 12th century original (stone) (b/w photo) by Viollet-le-Duc, Eugene Emmanuel (1814-79); Notre Dame

Heracles bringing Cerberus to King Eurystheus (engraving)
3646998 Heracles bringing Cerberus to King Eurystheus (engraving) by German School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Heracles bringing Cerberus to King Eurystheus)

Hercules dragging Cerberus from Hell (oil on canvas)
990238 Hercules dragging Cerberus from Hell (oil on canvas) by Pedrini, Domenico (1728-1800); 228.5x174.9 cm; Private Collection; (add.info.: Hercules dragging Cerberus from Hell)

Cerberus (colour litho)
3634486 Cerberus (colour litho) by English School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Cerberus. Illustration for Stories from Virgil by Alfred J Church (Seeley)

Heracles and Cerberus (engraving)
3635228 Heracles and Cerberus (engraving) by English School, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Heracles and Cerberus)

Attic red-figure belly amphora depicting Herakles capturing Kerberus, Greek, from Athens
XIR92564 Attic red-figure belly amphora depicting Herakles capturing Kerberus, Greek, from Athens, 6th century BC (pottery) by Andokides Painter (fl.c.525-510 BC); Louvre, Paris

Cerberus (chromolitho)
975945 Cerberus (chromolitho) by French School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Cerberus. French educational card, late 19th/early 20th century.); © Look and Learn

Hercules Fights the Lernian Hydra, 1731 (engraving)
STC134108 Hercules Fights the Lernian Hydra, 1731 (engraving) by Picart, Bernard (1673-1733); Private Collection; The Stapleton Collection; French, out of copyright

Hercules Crowned by Fame
CH22865 Hercules Crowned by Fame by Conca, Sebastiano (1680-1764); Private Collection; Photo eChristies Images; Italian, out of copyright

Furies, Cerberus, Pluto, Proserpine, Harpies, Death (engraving)
973798 Furies, Cerberus, Pluto, Proserpine, Harpies, Death (engraving) by Flaxman, John (1755-1826) (after); Private Collection; (add.info.: Furies, Cerberus, Pluto, Proserpine, Harpies, Death)

Orpheus loses Eurydice again (chromolitho)
1094449 Orpheus loses Eurydice again (chromolitho) by European School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Orpheus loses Eurydice again)

The capture of Cerberus (chromolitho)
2782724 The capture of Cerberus (chromolitho) by European School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: The capture of Cerberus. Liebig card, published in late 19th or early 20th century)

Orpheus, Leading Eurydice Out of Hell, Looks Back Upon her and Loses her Forever
STC134143 Orpheus, Leading Eurydice Out of Hell, Looks Back Upon her and Loses her Forever, 1731 (engraving) by Picart, Bernard (1673-1733); Private Collection; The Stapleton Collection; French

Colonial Defence Ships of the Australian Governments (engraving)
1602739 Colonial Defence Ships of the Australian Governments (engraving) by English School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Colonial Defence Ships of the Australian Governments)

For sale as Licensed Images

Choose your image, Select your licence and Download the media

"Cerberus: The Mythical Guardian of the Underworld" In ancient Greek mythology, Cerberus was a fearsome three-headed dog with a serpent's tail and multiple snake-like heads sprouting from his back. He was believed to guard the gates of the Underworld, preventing anyone from entering or leaving without permission. One famous depiction is seen in the artwork titled "Hercules Brings Cerberus to Eurystheus, with Hermes and Athena" dating back to the 6th century BC. This piece showcases Hercules capturing Cerberus as one of his twelve labors under the watchful eyes of Hermes and Athena. Another striking representation can be found in a statue featuring Hercules standing triumphantly alongside Cerberus. This sculpture captures their fierce encounter, highlighting Hercules' strength and determination. The influence of this mythical creature extends beyond ancient times. In Shirley Markham's artwork "Dante and Virgil with three-headed monster, " created in 1951, we see Dante Alighieri being guided through Hell by Virgil while encountering Cerberus along their journey and has been depicted in various cartoons throughout history. One such cartoon portrays Sin, Death, and the Devil as a modern-day interpretation of this legendary guardian. Another cartoon from 1921 cleverly represents the Triple Alliance of Railways, Mines, and Transport as Cerberus - symbolizing its dominance over industry at that time. Even today, references to they are be found in popular culture. Nymphenburg Palace in Munich features a statue depicting Pluto (Hades) accompanied by his loyal dogs including an imposing representation of Cerberus. From ancient art to modern interpretations, it is clear that Cerberus continues to captivate our imagination as an iconic figure associated with guardianship over realms unknown – forever etched into mythological lore for generations to come.