Landschap met Mercurius die Admetus' vee van Apollo steelt Possibly 1776

Richard Earlom created this etching, "Landschap met Mercurius die Admetus' vee van Apollo steelt", sometime in the late 18th or early 19th century. Earlom was working in a period in England where there was a growing interest in classical mythology and pastoral scenes. Here, he engages with themes of theft and divine retribution within a seemingly idyllic landscape. In the foreground, we see what appears to be a shepherdess, and further back, the figures of Mercury and Apollo play out their drama amongst the livestock. The romanticized vision of the countryside, so popular at the time, provides an interesting backdrop to the trickery and conflict of the gods. Earlom emphasizes the contrast between the serene beauty of the natural world, and the tensions present in the narrative being enacted. In its own way, this artwork is an exploration of power dynamics set against a landscape that seems indifferent to human, or even divine, affairs.