Mercury and Argus
1637 Museo del Prado
About this artwork
This oil on canvas painting depicts the mythological scene from Ovid's Metamorphoses where the god Mercury prepares to behead the giant Argus. It was created towards the end of the artist's life and is part of the collection at the Museo del Prado.
Did you know?
In this scene, Jupiter has sent Mercury to rescue Io, who was turned into a cow and guarded by the hundred-eyed giant Argus. Mercury lulled the giant to sleep with the music of his flute before taking his life, a popular subject in Baroque art that emphasizes the dramatic transition from tranquility to violence. This work is one of the many masterpieces Rubens produced for the Spanish royal collection in his late career.
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Mercury and Argus
Peter Paul Rubens, 1637
