Anonymous 17th Century Spanish pen and ink of Mercury
Following on a link from the ever informative 'weekend links' of John Coulthart I discover that The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York has just opened up images of some 375,000 pieces in its collection on a Creative Commons Zero license. This is brilliant news and paves the way for other large collections to get into the business of sharing their resources when in the public domain. So, of course, the first things one does on hearing such news is to high-tail it over and start exercising the search button. This, for me, usually means a series of thematic searches around my own interests. This is how I know that the museum seems to have a remarkably strong collection of images of the god Mercury, who is a particular favourite of mine. So here, by way of advertising this amazing new resource are just a few of those depictions.
Wenceslaus Hollar, 1654, Illustration to 'The Works of Virgil: Containing his Pastorals, Georgics and Aeneis.'"In a square in Carthage, Mercury approaching Aeneas from the air, warning him to leave the city" Etching
Andrea Schiavone. Etching c.1538
Andrea Schiavone. Etching c.1538
Mercury, the Roman God of Charity, 16th Century
Emmanuel Hannaux. Glazed stoneware. 'Head of Mercury', c.1895