''Standing Mercury'' is a
bronze
Bronze is an alloy consisting primarily of copper, commonly with about 12–12.5% tin and often with the addition of other metals (including aluminium, manganese, nickel, or zinc) and sometimes non-metals, such as phosphorus, or metalloids such ...
sculpture by
French
French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to France
** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents
** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...
artist
Auguste Rodin
François Auguste René Rodin (12 November 184017 November 1917) was a French sculptor, generally considered the founder of modern sculpture. He was schooled traditionally and took a craftsman-like approach to his work. Rodin possessed a uniqu ...
, first exhibited in 1888. Rodin depicts the mythological god
Mercury
Mercury commonly refers to:
* Mercury (planet), the nearest planet to the Sun
* Mercury (element), a metallic chemical element with the symbol Hg
* Mercury (mythology), a Roman god
Mercury or The Mercury may also refer to:
Companies
* Merc ...
, son of
Maia and
Jupiter—messenger of the gods and guide to the Underworld—as a young man, representing eloquence and reason. This depiction is opposite to the traditional representation of
Hermes, its Greek counterpart, as a mature man.
Description
Descending from high above, Mercury barely touches the ground with his toe and his body rests lightly on it with outstretched arms and vigorous musculature. This sculpture is based on ''Fauness'', which can be seen at the top right of the maquettes for ''
The Gates of Hell''. The missing part of Mercury's body is embedded on a cloud or mound,
however, curator John L. Tancock affirms that in early sketches for ''The Gates'', Mercury emerged from the rocks.
Gates of Hell
Mercury was placed on the right side of ''The Gates'' upside down. Due to Rodin's humanist preferences, the messenger of the gods doesn't have its characteristic winged feet, but is depicted more like a mortal man. In the sculptural group, Mercury is no longer a deity, but another soul among the multitude waiting to be cast to the abyss.
Praise
For
Camille Claudel, Rodin's pupil and lover, the graceful ease of this piece made it one of the "happiest" ones of the artist.
Inspiration
''Standing Mercury'' was also used by Rodin as inspiration for his ''Study of Apollo'', one of the pieces on the base of the monument to
Domingo Faustino Sarmiento, former Argentinean president.
References
External links
*
{{Auguste Rodin
Sculptures by Auguste Rodin
Nude sculptures
Sculptures of classical mythology