Study for Mercury c. 1893

Elihu Vedder's "Study for Mercury" (c. 1893) is a preliminary sketch for a larger work. The drawing depicts the Roman god Mercury, depicted as a nude young man, holding a caduceus staff, his winged sandals and a pouch of money, symbolic of his role as a messenger and protector of merchants. The use of colored chalks on a brown wash paper gives the work a distinct, almost unfinished feel, emphasizing the nature of the study. This drawing provides insight into Vedder's artistic process and his stylistic approach to classical mythology.