Mercury and Argus 1750 - 1797

Januarius Zick created this chalk drawing entitled *Mercury and Argus.* Born in southern Germany, Zick, like many eighteenth century artists, embraced the established narratives of Greco-Roman mythology. Here, we see Mercury about to slay Argus. Argus was charged by Hera to guard Io, a nymph who Zeus had turned into a heifer to hide her from his jealous wife. Zick’s classical training is evident in the figures, posed to highlight their musculature. While seemingly focused on a singular episode from Ovid’s *Metamorphoses,* this drawing reflects the era’s broader cultural obsession with the human body and the dynamics of power, surveillance, and deception. What does it mean to use the body as a landscape upon which stories of godlike power, jealousy and desire play out? As you reflect on Zick’s work, consider how historical narratives and power dynamics continue to shape our understanding of identity, desire, and the politics of representation.