Mercury and Argus

circle of Pier Francesco Mola (Coldrerio 1612 – Rome 1666)
National Trust Inventory Number 960237

Category	Paintings
Date	Unknown
Materials	Oil on canvas
Measurements	305 x 483 mm (12 x 19 in)
Place of origin

Collection	Nostell Priory, West Yorkshire (Accredited Museum)
On show at	Nostell Priory, West Yorkshire, Yorkshire and North East, National Trust

This scene is taken from Ovid’s Metamorphoses. One of Jupiter’s many loves was Io, a princess of Argos. When this was discovered by his wife, Juno, she turned Io into a white heifer, and handed the animal over to the hundred-eyed giant, Argus, to guard. Mercury was sent by Jupiter to kill the giant, which he did after first lulling him to sleep with music.

Summary description

Oil painting on canvas, Mercury and Argus, circle of Pier Francesco Mola (Coldrerio 1612 – Rome 1666)Mercury on right with red and white drapery, a bearded old man reclines on the left.

Provenance

Purchased by the National Trust by private treaty sale from Lord St Oswald in 2010

Makers and roles

circle of Pier Francesco Mola (Coldrerio 1612 – Rome 1666), artist

References

Brockwell 1915 Maurice Walter Brockwell, Catalogue of the Pictures and Other Works of Art in the Collection of Lord St Oswald at Nostell Priory, London 1915, no. 144

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Place of origin
Materials
Category	Paintings (11747)
Collection	Nostell Priory, West Yorkshire (Accredited Museum) (9714)
Periods
Maker	Pier Francesco Mola (Coldrerio 1612 – Rome 1666) (15)
Subjects
Object Type	Oil painting (11590)