Amor geeft Mercurius de opdracht zijn macht te verkondigen aan het universum 1740

Louis Desplaces created this artwork, titled 'Amor gives Mercury the order to proclaim his power to the universe,' as an engraving. Observe Mercury, poised in mid-flight with his caduceus—a staff entwined with two snakes—a potent emblem of commerce, negotiation, and passage between worlds. Consider this symbol, originating perhaps in ancient Greece, and its transformation through time. The entwined snakes, initially associated with healing and medicine, have slithered through history, appearing in various guises from alchemical symbols to modern-day medical insignia. The caduceus, grasped firmly in Mercury's hand, represents not merely trade or medicine, but also a deeper psychological necessity: the reconciliation of opposites, the balance of forces, a visual embodiment of humanity’s eternal quest for harmony amidst discord. It has been appropriated, reinterpreted, and reimagined, each iteration layering new strata of meaning onto its ancient form. The echoes of such symbols resonate through the corridors of time, continuously reborn.