Mercurius beschuldigt Battus 1600 - 1647

"Mercurius beschuldigt Battus" is a 17th century etching by Dutch artist Moyses van Wtenbrouck. The artwork depicts a scene from Ovid's Metamorphoses in which the Roman god Mercury accuses Battus of stealing cattle. Mercury, depicted as a young, athletic man, stands over a seated, elderly Battus, pointing at the stolen cattle in the background. The scene is set in a wooded landscape, with a horse and a dog visible in the foreground. Wtenbrouck's use of precise lines and detailed shading give the etching a sense of realism and immediacy, making the scene feel both dramatic and intimate.