Splendid sculpture in white Carrara marble depicting a young Hercules supporting the world. Originally, the work was conceived to be used as a Caryatid at the beginning of a lavish marble staircase in a palace. Subsequently, the work was sold and, in 1900, became part of the garden collection of a villa located in the Roman hills, which was later destroyed by the bombings of World War II. The work shows signs of erosion due to prolonged exposure to the elements. Despite this, the beauty and majesty of the work are still evident. The statue is full of antiquity and history, and the mastery of modeling the marble and the precision in the details give the work an aura of grandeur and power. The work is attributed to the School of Valerio Cioli, a renowned Florentine sculptor who lived between 1529 and 1599. Measurements: H x W x D 85 x 35 x 33 cm