Mercury playing Argus to sleep with his flute, with Io transformed into a white heifer 1648

Jacob Jordaens painted this oil on canvas depicting Mercury playing Argus to sleep, with Io transformed into a white heifer, sometime in the 17th century. Note the flute held by Mercury, an instrument that throughout the ages has symbolized not just music but also transformation. In ancient Greece, music was believed to have the power to soothe, to heal, and even to alter one’s state of being. Here, the music induces sleep—a temporary death, a journey to the underworld of the unconscious. Argus, with his many eyes, represents vigilance, but even vigilance must yield to the lullaby of the flute. Consider how this scene echoes in countless other works across time. Think of Orpheus charming the creatures of the underworld, or David soothing King Saul with his harp. The emotional power of this image lies in the universal desire for peace, for escape from the relentless gaze of the world. The motif of the flute player returns through history, a symbol of the transformative power of art.