Mercury, from a set of six pagan divinities with grotesques on black grounds

Engraving, part of a set of six representations of pagan divinities with grotesque motifs on black grounds, created by Étienne Delaune before 1573. This print represents Mercury, standing under a triangular pediment, walking towards the left, and endowed with his most common attributes: he wears a winged helmet and a cuirasse, holds a caduceus on his right hand, and a rooster stands at his feet. Diagonally below him are two seated men, each raising a branch of laurel towards the god, and holding an open book on the other hand; in front of each of them are a sphere and a compass. These two characters might be representations of astronomers, possibly of Ptolomeus and Pythagoras. It seems that Delaune attempted to create a link between Astrology and Mercure in this series. The other motifs in the print, placed symmetrically on each side of Mercury, include two doves, two fuming urns, two fantastic monsters, two grotesque figures, and two fish, and do not seem to provide any direct allegorical symbolism in the representation of the god in this print.