Mercury and Argus
Zeus had transformed the nymph Io, Inakho’s daughter, into a cow so that his wife Juno didn’t know his infidelity. Juno had asked Zeus for Io as a present and he had given Io to his wife. Juno had entrusted Io to Argus called Panoptes (all seeing), because he had a hundred eyes. Io was desperate and asked Zeus to help her. Then Zeus sent Mercury to kill Argus and free Io. Mercury, transformed into a shepherd, came and made Argus sleepy using a stick impregnated with soporific fluids and playing music. Then he killed Argus and Juno transformed him into a peacock which remained Juno’s attribute.
Rubens, Mercury and Argus (1636-1638)
Argus is sleeping and Mercury is getting ready to kill him with his sword.
Rubens’ foreshortened figures are in typical baroque style.
Diego Rodríguez de Silva Velásquez, Mercury and Io (1659)
Argus is looking after Io, transformed into a cow.
Mercury comes and makes Argus sleepy by playing music.
Velázquez uses long brushstrokes which seem a mixture of light and colour. When the spectator moves away, he can see clearly the grandeur of painting.
See also
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