Mercury c. 19th century

Curator: This is Conte Carlo Lasinio's "Mercury," a print housed here at the Harvard Art Museums. I find the imagery fascinating. Editor: A rooster pulling a chariot? It's delightfully absurd. A warm, dreamy terracotta palette too. Curator: Indeed. Mercury, the Roman messenger god, is often linked with eloquence, communication, and swiftness. The rooster, frequently associated with dawn, vigilance, and even pride. Editor: So, the dawn's messenger? Speed and watchfulness embodied, all in this peculiar cart? It feels allegorical but also wonderfully strange. Curator: Perhaps Lasinio intended to play with our expectations of classical representation, challenging our notions of power and divinity. Editor: I appreciate the ambiguity. Art that invites questions, leaves room for imagination, those are the ones that stick with you. Curator: Precisely. It's these visual layers that make art truly timeless. Editor: A curious and enduring vision, then, of the fleet-footed god.