Who painted Young Mercury Stealing Cattle from Apollo's Herd?

Young Mercury Stealing Cattle from Apollo's Herd was painted by Girolamo da Santacroce in 1540.

Where can I see Young Mercury Stealing Cattle from Apollo's Herd?

Young Mercury Stealing Cattle from Apollo's Herd is held by Rijksmuseum.

What movement is Young Mercury Stealing Cattle from Apollo's Herd?

Young Mercury Stealing Cattle from Apollo's Herd is associated with Mannerism.

Can I buy a print of Young Mercury Stealing Cattle from Apollo's Herd?

Museum-quality prints of Young Mercury Stealing Cattle from Apollo's Herd are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

Artwork

Young Mercury Stealing Cattle from Apollo's Herd

Girolamo da Santacroce , 1540

Young Mercury Stealing Cattle from Apollo's Herd is an oil painting by the Mannerist artist Girolamo da Santacroce. It dates from 1540 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.

About this work

Subject & Meaning

Mercury is identified by his winged sandals and caduceus, symbols that underscore his role as a swift intermediary and protector of travelers and thieves.

The painting portrays the youthful messenger god Mercury in the act of stealing cattle from Apollo's herd, a scene drawn from classical mythology that emphasizes themes of transgression and divine trickery. Mercury is identified by his winged sandals and caduceus, symbols that underscore his role as a swift intermediary and protector of travelers and thieves. The composition juxtaposes the innocent vigor of the young deity with the pastoral setting, highlighting the tension between order and chaos within mythic narratives.

This subject reflects Renaissance interest in reinterpreting ancient stories through a dynamic, naturalistic lens, inviting viewers to contemplate the moral ambiguities of divine agency.

The work is attributed to Girolamo da Santacroce and dates to 1540, executed on canvas as an oil painting. It belongs to the mythological painting genre and is housed in several institutions, including the Rijksmuseum and Munich Central Collecting Point, where it remains part of their collections.

History & Provenance

The painting Young Mercury Stealing Cattle from Apollo’s Herd by Girolamo da Santacroce is dated to 1540 in both internal cataloguing and the Wikidata record of the work.

Its early modern provenance is not documented in the provided sources, but the painting entered the modern record in the collection of Otto Lanz, from whom it passed to the Führermuseum. After World War II, it was restituted to the Netherlands and entered the collection of the Rijksmuseum via the Stichting Nederlands Kunstbezit, where it remains with the accession number SK-C-1400.

The painting is currently held by the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, where it is displayed in room 0.5. Its provenance includes ownership by Otto Lanz and the Führermuseum, as well as periods of custody at the Munich Central Collecting Point and the Stichting Nederlands Kunstbezit. The work was created in 1540 by Girolamo da Santacroce, with attribution also given to Domenico Campagnola.

Overview

Girolamo da Santacroce, an Italian painter active in Venice during the mid‑16th century, completed this oil on canvas in 1540. The work belongs to the Mannerist period and is presently part of the Rijksmuseum’s collection. It presents a mythological episode set within an idyllic pastoral landscape, rendered with the compositional complexity typical of the era.

Technique & Style

Executed in oil on canvas, the painting displays the elongated forms and elegant poses characteristic of Mannerism. Light falls gently across the figures, creating soft shadows that model the bodies and enhance the three‑dimensional effect. The palette is warm and earthy, with muted greens and ochres that unify the rolling hills, trees, and distant architecture.

Context

Santacroce worked primarily in Venice and its mainland territories, a region where mythological subjects were popular among patrons seeking both erudition and decorative appeal. The painting reflects the period’s fascination with classical antiquity, while its pastoral setting aligns with contemporary Venetian tastes for idyllic, bucolic landscapes that blended narrative and scenery.

De jonge Mercurius steelt runderen van Apollo’s kudde, Unknown

Own this work as a print

Artist & collection

Artist

Girolamo da Santacroce

Girolamo da Santacroce (c. 1480/85 – c. 1556) was a 16th-century Italian painter of the Renaissance period, active mainly in Venice and the Venetian mainland.