Oil Painting Steve Reeves Hercules 1950s by Frank Cozzarelli / Bianculli Estate

This fantastic original oil painting depicts the iconic Steve Reeves in his classic portrayal of Hercules in the 1958 movie by the same name. Painted by the man whose work graced the covers of some of the hottest pulp magazines of the day and previously owned by a bodybuilder who attained a good measure of fame in his own right. Here's your chance to own a piece of movie, bodybuilding, and pulp fiction history.

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17" x 13 (sight) Oil on board in a gold 25 1/2" x 21 1/2" frame.

Frank Cozzarelli was a pulp fiction illustrator in the 1950s. He also taught at the Brooklyn Museum Art School.

Steve Reeves was an American professional bodybuilder and actor. He was famous in the mid-1950s as a movie star in Italian-made sword-and-sandal films, playing muscular protagonists such as Hercules, Aeneas, and Sandokan. At the peak of his career, he was the highest-paid actor in Europe.^[1] Though best known for his portrayal of Hercules, he played the character only twice: in Hercules (1958), and in its 1959 sequel Hercules Unchained. By 1960, Reeves was ranked as the number-one box-office draw in 25 countries.

Prior to his acting career, Reeves was a professional bodybuilder. Known for his symmetry,^[3] he reigned as Mr. America of 1947, Mr. World of 1948, and Mr. Universe of 1950 in the pre-Mr. Olympia era. Credited with popularising bodybuilding on a global level, he is regarded as one of the most influential bodybuilders of all time.^[4] He wrote three books on bodybuilding and physical training.

Hercules is a 1958 Italian sword-and-sandal film based upon the Hercules and the Quest for the Golden Fleece myths. The film stars Steve Reeves as the titular hero and Sylva Koscina as his love interest Princess Iole. Hercules was directed by Pietro Francisci and produced by Federico Teti. The film spawned a 1959 sequel, Hercules Unchained (Italian: Ercole e la Regina di Lidia), that also starred Reeves and Koscina.