Mercurius bij de slapende Argus c. 1636 - 1670

This is "Mercurius bij de slapende Argus" an engraving made by Crispijn van de Passe II, likely in the first half of the 17th century. The composition, meticulously rendered, invites us to consider the interplay between foreground and background, shadow and light. Van de Passe uses line and form to create a deceptive calm that is unsettling. Mercurius is approaching Argus, who is dozing off, with an item in his hand; a dog sits loyally at his side. The lines are precise, yet the lack of strong contrast gives the image an ethereal quality, almost as if the scene exists in a dream. In the background, the ruins and animals remind us of the fleeting nature of power and the inevitability of change. Consider how van de Passe uses the structure of the landscape to frame the characters, emphasizing the tension between action and passivity. The artist asks us not just to witness a mythological scene, but to reflect on the instability inherent in all narratives.