Io Changed Into A Cow: Mercury Cuts Off Argus' Head

48.5 x 32 cm (19.1 x 12.6 inches).
Io Changed Into A Cow: Mercury Cuts Off Argus' Head
This spectacular baroque engraving is from Bernard Picart's Le Temple Des Muses.
The engraving was made in 1733, is from the first edition and is an original antique. It has captions in French, English, German, and Dutch.
It is in very good condition for its age.
In Greek mythology, Argus was a giant with many eyes. Hera was queen of the gods and wife of Zeus. She had Argus guard a white cow from Zeus. Hera knew the cow was actually Io, a nymph Zeus was coupling with. To free Io, Zeus had Argus slain by Hermes (Mercury). Hermes put Argus to sleep with spoken charms, then killed him by cutting off his head. Hera had the hundred eyes of Argus preserved forever, in a peacock's tail.