Mercury Inventing the Lyre, 1775
Mezzotintexpand_more
Gift of John Crosbyexpand_more P.47.46
On View in Gallery 317expand_more
According to the myth of Mercury—the Roman god of commerce, communication, and trickery—he was just a few days old when he stole a herd of cattle that belonged to Apollo. After killing one of the bulls, Mercury made strings of its guts, stretched them over a tortoise shell, and the lyre was born. Though initially angry with Mercury, Apollo forgave his crime in exchange for the new string instrument.
Details
- Title
- Mercury Inventing the Lyre
- Artist Life
- 1752 - 1812
- Role
- Artist
- Accession Number
- P.47.46
- Curator Approved
This record has been reviewed by our curatorial staff but may be incomplete. These records are frequently revised and enhanced. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@artsmia.org.
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