Highlights

Flying Mercury

Artist
Hubert Gerhard
Locality
Augsburg
Date
c. 1590/1593
Material
Bronze
Dimensions
H. 93 cm
Location
not exhibited
Inventory Number
L 2012/3
Acquisition
On permanent loan from the Ernst von Siemens Kunststiftung
Epoch
Renaissance
Categories
Sculpture

Description

This youthful messenger of the gods, seemingly defying gravity, is one of the masterpieces of South German bronze sculpture from around 1600. The god of merchants and thieves originally held a purse in his raised right hand and the caduceus in his left. He was always easily recognisable by this snake-entwined staff, the wings on his heels and his hat. Only princes and wealthy patricians could afford precious bronzes, such as this Mercury, of which only a single version was produced. The patron of this Mercury, Wolfang Paller the Younger, was a wealthy copper merchant from Augsburg. Bronze is an alloy containing mainly copper and to a lesser degree tin.

You can also find this object in the online collection

To the Object

More Objects