Venus and Mercury
c. 1600
Medium
Engraving in black on ivory laid paper
Dimensions
Image: 37.1 × 27.1 cm (14 5/8 × 10 11/16 in.); Plate: 39.5 × 27.7 cm (15 9/16 × 10 15/16 in.); Sheet: 39.5 × 28.3 cm (15 9/16 × 11 3/16 in.)
Classification
engraving
Department
Prints and Drawings
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
233472
Art Historical Context
Step into the mythical realm with *Venus and Mercury*, an exquisite engraving by Jan Harmensz Muller, created around 1600. This Dutch, active during the late Renaissance and early Baroque transition, captures the Roman goddess of love, Venus, in playful interaction with the swift messenger god Mercury. Muller's precise lines evoke the elegance of classical mythology, a popular theme in Northern European art as artists drew inspiration from ancient stories to explore human emotions and divine whimsy. Crafted as a black-line engraving on creamy ivory laid paper—a high-quality support typical of...
About the Artist
Jan Harmensz. Muller · 1571–1628
Comment on works: Printer and Draughtsman