Mercurius met een aantal allegorische objecten uit de handel 1836 - 1912

Isaac Weissenbruch created this drawing of Mercurius, surrounded by symbolic objects of commerce. Here we see Mercurius, the Roman counterpart of Hermes, messenger of the gods and patron of merchants, easily identifiable by his winged helmet and the caduceus—a staff entwined with two snakes—symbols of trade and negotiation. The anchor and sailing ships in the background extend the theme of commerce to international trade. Consider how Mercurius, or Hermes, has appeared throughout the ages. In ancient Greece, Hermes was a liminal deity, guiding souls to the afterlife. Over time, the caduceus has also been adopted as a symbol of medicine, despite its original association with commerce and negotiation. This conflation reveals the complex, and sometimes contradictory, evolution of symbols across cultures. The figure of Mercurius embodies a primal urge for exchange and connection, tapping into deep-seated psychological desires. These archetypes persist, resurfacing in various forms and contexts, each time carrying echoes of their past, reinvented for the present.