Argus wirt umgebracht, und Io wider in Menschliche gestalt verwandelt

Title

Argus wirt umgebracht, und Io wider in Menschliche gestalt verwandelt

Period

1550-1600;

Geographic

Ancient Greece

Description

The messenger god Mercury is depicted in the foreground of the engraving, illustrated with his winged helmet. He is illustrated holding the head of the giant Argus, with the body lying on the ground behind him. Argus had one hundred eyes and Juno is depicted in the background of the image putting the eyes of Argus onto the feathers of her favourite bird: the peacock. There is a cow illustrated running away from the situation behind Mercury towards the left side of the image. The cow is Io, a woman who was raped by Jupiter and transformed into a cow by him as well. Mercury was given orders by Jupiter to slay Argus in order to free Io from his careful watch.

Image Creator

Virgil Solis (Engraver)

Type

Text

Woodcut Engraving

Identifier

mta:20960

Language

ger

Source Name

P. Ouidij Nasonis, deß Sinnreichen und hochverstendigen Poeten, Metamorphoses oder Verwandlung, mit schönen figuren gezieret, auch kurzen Argumenten und außlegungen erkläret, und in Teutsche Reymen gebracht, durch Johann Spreng von Augspurg [Publius Ovidius Naso, the Ingenious and Highly Understandable Poet, Metamorphoses or Transformations, Adorned with Beautiful Images, and also descriptions of Short Arguments and Explanations, Brought into German Rhymes by Johann Spreng of Augsburg]

Parent Collection

1564 Frankfurt Spreng

Image

mta_20960_OBJ.jpg

Collection

Ovid's Metamorphoses

Subject

Goddesses

Transformation

Greek Mythology

Roman Mythology

Jupiter

Io

Juno

Argus

Gods