Mercurius bij de slapende Argus c. 1636 - 1670

This etching by Crispijn van de Passe II depicts the Greek mythological scene of Mercury, the messenger god, awaking Argus, the giant with 100 eyes, who was assigned by Hera to guard Io, Zeus' lover, who was transformed into a cow. Mercury, tasked by Zeus to liberate Io, lulls Argus to sleep using music before beheading him, with the detail of the cattle, sheep, and dog setting the pastoral scene. This print, created between 1636-1670, highlights the Dutch Golden Age artistic style with its focus on detail and narrative storytelling.