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Mercury descends from the heavens for the love of Herse

Attributable to Johann Wilhelm Baur1639/1641

Dionísio Pinheiro And Alice Cardoso Pinheiro Foundation

Dionísio Pinheiro And Alice Cardoso Pinheiro Foundation
Águeda, Portugal

On the left side, foreground, there are five women, two of which are holding amphorae on their heads. A winged figure, wearing an elm with wings (and holding in his left hand what seems to be a garland), appears on the opposite side, emerging from the clouds.
Once again, the inscription on the back (“Jupiter dominatore appare alle Muse”) is not correct since in no way can the flying character be Jupiter, as the inscription states. Mostly due to the elm with wings and the caduceus held in the right hand, it is easy to identify him as Mercury, Jupiter’s son and messenger of the gods. This painting depicts the moment when, inflamed by his love for Herse, one of the daughters of Pelops, he descends from the heavens to meet her, as described in the Metamorphoses (2.726-729).

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  • Title: Mercury descends from the heavens for the love of Herse
  • Creator: Attributable to Johann Wilhelm Baur
  • Date Created: 1639/1641
  • Location Created: Viena
  • Physical Dimensions: 75x125
  • Provenance: Fundação Dionísio Pinheiro e Alice Cardoso Pinheiro
  • Medium: Oil on copper
  • Original Title: Mercúrio desce dos Céus, inflamado pelo amor de Herse
  • Credit Line: Text: © Fundação Dionísio Pinheiro e Alice Cardoso Pinheiro and Centro de Estudos Clássicos da Universidade de Coimbra / Vieira Duque and Carlos Jesus, Translation: © Fundação Dionísio Pinheiro e Alice Cardoso Pinheiro / Sílvia Dutra Santos, Photo: © Fundação Dionísio Pinheiro e Alice Cardoso Pinheiro / João Carlos Graça
Dionísio Pinheiro And Alice Cardoso Pinheiro Foundation

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