Mercury and Pandora
1850
From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum
1850
From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum
This print depicts a scene from mythology, featuring two figures. Mercury, a male, is shown in mid-air, with his right leg extended behind him and his left leg bent in front. He wears a short skirt and a hat, and has a cloth draped over his left shoulder. In his right arm, he holds a female figure, Pandora, who is nude except for a cloth wrapped around her waist. Her left arm is bent, and her right arm hangs down. The background of the print is a solid color, which helps to focus attention on the two figures. The overall effect is one of dynamic movement, as if Mercury is in the act of carrying Pandora through the air. The use of chiaroscuro in this print creates a sense of depth and volume, drawing the viewer's eye to the figures. To learn more about this technique, look up chiaroscuro.
