At the end of 2010, as the Ruhr region was coming to the conclusion of its year as European Capital of Culture, the 18-metre-high sculpture created by artist Markus Lüpertz as part of RUHR.2010 was positioned on the tower of the Zeche Nordstern (Nordstern mine) in Gelsenkirchen. Hercules – son of Zeus, Greek god and hero  – is Lüpertz’s largest sculpture to date and is seen as an inspiration, problem-solver and source of ideas for the region.
Lüpertz produced 43 colour-painted bronze bozzetti as sketches for this colossal sculpture. These are to be seen not only as preparatory studies but also as valid works of art in their own right. These classical-looking sculptures, which are presented in this catalogue, are impressive by virtue of their diversity in form and figure, size, look and feel.

Biography:
1941 Born in Liberec, Bohemia
1956-1961 Studies at the Werkkunstschule Krefeld; works underground in a coal mine and also in road construction for one year; spends time in Paris
1962 Moves to Berlin; begins his "dithyrambic painting"
1970 Wins the Villa Romana prize
1974 Organises the first Berlin Biennale
1982 Takes part in documenta 7 in Kassel
1986 Professor at the Staatliche Kunstakademie Düsseldorf
1988-2009 Director of the Staatliche Kunstakademie Düsseldorf
1990 Wins the Lovis Corinth prize awarded by the Künstlergilde Esslingen
2004 Wins the fourth Julio González International Prize
2006 Honoris Causa doctor of the Breslau Art Academy in Wroclaw, Poland
Lives and works in Berlin, Düsseldorf and Karlsruhe