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"Mercury with the Golden Blade", 1921 Bronze Sculpture with Male Nude, Austria
$4,200
£3,225.20
€3,699.81
CA$5,901.49
A$6,609.30
CHF 3,448.62
MX$80,729.75
NOK 43,876.54
SEK 41,358.89
DKK 27,611.22
About the Item
Powerful and very rare, this sculpture of a kneeling, fully nude Mercury, with his golden blade in hand, dates from 1921 and was probably sculpted by a German or Austrian artist. Mercury is shown with his winged cap, and his right hand is holding the blade, which was given to him by Apollo in exchange for the lyre and flute. The blade or sword was made of adamantine and Imperial Gold and represented Mercury's divine authority. He used it to slay the Giant Hippolytos during the War of the Giants and behead the hundred-eyed giant Argus Panoptes. The sculptor's monogram is shown, including a capital "W", but the sculptor's identity has not yet been determined. The sculpture rests on its original, richly figured red marble base.
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