Mercury
1534
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
About the artist
Artist
Gabriele Giolito de' Ferrara
Gabriele Giolito de' Ferrara (1534–1534) was an artist.
See the richer artist page1534
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Dominant colour
Mercury is a 1534 ink by Gabriele Giolito de' Ferrara, a Renaissance work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This black-and-white print is packed with tiny figures and strange symbols. At the top, a rooster stands next to a winged boy labeled "Mercurius." Below, a group of people huddle around a building with a clock, while others hold odd objects like a cross and a book. The edges are filled with swirling vines, clouds, and more hidden faces. The rooster is a clue—it’s often linked to Mercury, the Roman god of messages. The whole scene mixes real life with myth, which was common in Renaissance art. Next, look up woodcut to see how artists carved these detailed images.
Gabriele Giolito de' Ferrara (1534–1534) was an artist.
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