Mercury Lulling Argus to Sleep 

This etching by Moyses van Uyttenbroeck, active in the early 17th century, depicts the mythological tale of Mercury lulling Argus to sleep. The image shows Mercury, the Roman god of commerce, playing a pipe for Argus, a giant with 100 eyes, while the latter sits surrounded by various animals, including goats and a cow. This scene illustrates the Greek myth where Mercury, sent by Jupiter, uses his music to lull Argus to sleep, allowing him to slay him and retrieve the beautiful Io, whom Argus was guarding. The etching’s use of crosshatching and detail in depicting the figures and animals demonstrate the artist's skill in capturing both the natural and the fantastical.