About this artwork
Mercury is part of a 50-card set known as the Tarocchi, which were not tarot cards but which probably served a didactic purpose as a memory game. The unknown artist worked in a strongly linear, dry style with a touch of the grotesque. These engravings emphasize the gods’ mythology over their astrological significance. The prints present curious details, such as Mercury standing over the severed head of Argus and its hundred eyes.
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Status
- Currently Off View
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Department
- Prints and Drawings
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Artist
- Master of the E-Series Tarocchi
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Title
- Mercury, plate 42 from Planets and Spheres
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Place
- Italy (Artist's nationality)
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Date
- 1460–1470
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Medium
- Engraving on paper
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Dimensions
- Plate: 17.9 × 10 cm (7 1/16 × 3 15/16 in.); Sheet: 18.5 × 10.6 cm (7 5/16 × 4 3/16 in.)
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Credit Line
- Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Potter Palmer, Jr.
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Reference Number
- 1924.39.20
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IIIF Manifest
- https://api.artic.edu/api/v1/artworks/122264/manifest.json
Extended information about this artwork
Object information is a work in progress and may be updated as new research findings emerge. To help improve this record, please email . Information about image downloads and licensing is available here.
