Jacob Jordaens the Younger

Jacob Jordaens, one of 17th-century Antwerp's leading artists, produced many paintings, tapestry patterns, and drawings throughout his career. This sheet is a fine exapmle of Jordaens's mature work, although its subject has puzzled art historians for decades. Many have suggested that it represents the myth of Mercury and Herse, as told by Ovid in his Metamorphoses (Book II, 737-51), yet the male figure at left does not wear Mercury's traditional winged sandals and cap, which are particularly emphasized by Ovid. The drawing might depict an allegory of abundance. It is possible that the figure thought to be Mercury is a personification of wealth and abundance, since he holds a cornucopia in one hand and a heavy purse in the other. One of the Cupids around the female figure blows a bubble, which often symbolizes both the brevity of life and the impermanence of wealth, perhaps a warning to the woman reaching out for the proffered riches.