Battus onthult waar Mercurius de kudde van Apollo verstopt Possibly 1600 - 1660

Moyses van Wtenbrouck etched this image of Battus revealing where Mercury hid Apollo's herd. The central figures, Battus and the disguised Mercury, draw our attention immediately. The tale, drawn from Ovid, showcases the god Mercury attempting to deceive the herdsman Battus. Mercury is traditionally associated with trickery and transitions, acting as a go-between for the gods and mortals. The gesture of pointing, as Mercury attempts to extract information from Battus, has appeared in art across millennia. We recall similar gestures in classical Roman sculptures, or even earlier, in ancient Egyptian art, where figures point to the heavens or the underworld. This simple gesture taps into our collective memory. Van Wtenbrouck masterfully captures a pivotal moment of psychological tension. The act of deception and revelation engage us on a subconscious level. The themes of betrayal and truth have been constantly revisited, resurfacing in various forms throughout art history, evolving with each retelling.