Mercurius met de kop van Argus 1860

Herman Löwenstam created this drawing, "Mercurius met de kop van Argus," using pen and ink, likely in the early 1860s. The image depicts the Roman God Mercury, or Hermes in Greek mythology, having slain Argus, the all-seeing giant. Mercury's power resided in his craftiness, as he used music and storytelling to lull Argus to sleep before beheading him. Löwenstam likely intended to use Mercury as a symbol. In a socio-political sense, Mercury's triumph over Argus represents the victory of cunning and intellect over brute force. The image may speak to a social order where wit and strategy are more valued than physical strength or wealth. We might also consider the institutional history here: what role did the artist play? Was he a subversive influence on the art world of his time? To understand the context of this image more fully, we can turn to studies of classical mythology. The meanings we ascribe to art are contingent on the social and institutional contexts in which it was made.