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The Children of the Planet Mercury, c.1645. Creator: Jan Brueghel the younger
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The Children of the Planet Mercury, c.1645. Creator: Jan Brueghel the younger
The Children of the Planet Mercury, c.1645
Heritage Images features heritage image collections
Media ID 36325877
© Heritage Art/Heritage Images
Alchemist Alchemy Books Cello Chariot Chicken Clock Cock Cockerel Flanders Belgium Europe Jan Brueghel Ii Jan Brueghel The Younger Learning Loggia Mammal Mercury Monkey Monkies Overhead Position Primate Rooster Scientist Stringed Instrument Studying The Arts Time Timepiece
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EDITORS COMMENTS
Jan Brueghel the Younger's enchanting masterpiece, "The Children of the Planet Mercury," painted around 1645, invites viewers to step into a fantastical world of mythology and alchemy. Set in an architectural loggia adorned with intricate columns and vibrant frescoes, a group of boys and girls, dressed in fashionable Baroque apparel, gather around a celestial globe. The central figure, Mercury, the Roman god of commerce, art, and alchemy, sits regally atop a chariot pulled by a rooster and a monkey, symbols of his solar and terrestrial dominion. The children, representing the elements and virtues, engage in various activities reflecting their celestial counterparts. A boy plays the cello, symbolizing the air element, while a girl reads a book, representing knowledge and the earth element. A mischievous monkey plays with a clock, symbolizing time, and a boy blows bubbles, representing the water element. The painting is rich in symbolism and detail, with birds, animals, and architectural features adding to the visual feast. The use of oil on canvas technique lends a luminous quality to the painting, making it a testament to Brueghel's mastery of the Baroque style. This artwork is a window into the 17th-century Flemish artistic heritage, showcasing the fusion of mythology, alchemy, and everyday life.
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