Mercury and Aglauros Possibly 1658

Joseph de Bray rendered this drawing, Mercury and Aglauros, with pen and brown ink, heightened with gray wash and white gouache. Here, we see the Roman god Mercury, identifiable by his winged helmet and caduceus, standing before Aglauros. In Roman myth Aglauros was punished for her greed; she demanded money from Mercury in return for access to her sister. We see her kneeling, hand outstretched, seemingly mid-negotiation. Bray captures a critical moment steeped in themes of power and morality, and the relationship between the divine and mortal. The positioning of Aglauros kneeling at the feet of Mercury underscores her subservience. Yet, her agency is also apparent in her defiant gaze and commanding gesture. It subtly challenges the conventional power dynamics often depicted in classical narratives. Ultimately, this drawing invites us to contemplate the complexities of human nature, the tension between desire and consequence, and the precarious balance between mortal and immortal realms.