Argus en Mercurius 1580 - 1590

Hendrick Goltzius created this small engraving, Argus and Mercurius, sometime in the late 16th century. Goltzius was a Dutch printmaker, draftsman, and painter, who lived through a time of religious and political upheaval. His work often reflects an interest in classical mythology, which he uses to explore themes of transformation and human nature. This print depicts a scene from Ovid’s Metamorphoses, where Mercury lulls Argus, the many-eyed giant, to sleep with his music, so he can slay him and free Io. Here, gender and power dynamics are central. Mercury, a symbol of cunning and eloquence, uses his music to overpower Argus, who, despite his strength and vigilance, is vulnerable to deception. Argus is a figure of confinement, while Mercury is a liberator. Goltzius masterfully captures the tension between vigilance and vulnerability, drawing us into a story about the power of deception and the quest for liberation.