Mercury

Mercury, a work of art by Philip Galle, dated 1585. 



This engraving depicts Mercury, the Roman messenger god, standing in a three-quarter view. He is nude except for a leafy garland around his waist, and he holds a caduceus (a winged staff) in his raised left hand and a purse in his right. He wears a winged helmet. A rooster sits at his feet on a small pedestal, which also bears the symbol for Mercury. The background is a hatched pattern suggesting depth. The artwork is from the Prints Department of the Royal Library of Belgium. The dimensions are 16.4 cm wide and 24.6 cm high.