Mercury Abducting Psyche
Medium
engraving on laid paper
Dimensions
plate: 51 × 26 cm (20 1/16 × 10 1/4 in.) sheet: 51.5 × 26.4 cm (20 1/4 × 10 3/8 in.)
Classification
Department
CG-E
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Ruth and Jacob Kainen Memorial Acquisition Fund
Accession Number
2022.24.2
Art Historical Context
In the enchanting engraving *Mercury Abducting Psy*, created around 1597 by Dutch artist Jan Muller after a bronze sculpture by Adriaen de, we witness a dramatic moment from classical mythology. Drawn from Apuleius's ancient tale *The Golden Ass*, the scene depicts the god Mercury swiftly carrying the mortal Psyche—elevated to immortality by Jupiter—to Mount Olympus. Muller's masterful reproduction captures de Vries's dynamic Mannerist style, with swirling drapery, elongated forms, and a sense of effortless motion that evokes the late Renaissance fascination with antique myths and humanism. P...