Hera, Hermes, Argus, and Io in the shape of a Cow
Production: Unknown
Folding fan, with paper leaf painted in colours and gilt. Sticks of ivory inlaid with mother-of-pearl and piqué in silver. The guards are carved in relief with geometrical shapes inlaid with mother-of-pearl with piqué borders. The sticks are pierced with diaper pattern and carved in relief with a lady and gentleman dancing on either side of a tree, flanked by stylized plants and buildings, enclosed in a scroll border and geometrical shapes inlaid with mother-of-pearl with piqué borders. The leaf is painted with a mythological scene: Hera/Juno, Hermes/Mercury, and Io in the shape of a cow. Border of foliage and tassels with gilt edge.
History note: Miss Whitehurst, Hertford
Given by Miss Whitehurst
Width: 48 cm
Method of acquisition: Given (1836-07-27) by Whitehurst, Miss
18th Century, Late
Production date:
circa
AD 1790
: sticks could be earlier
Chickenskin painted in body colour; ivory sticks and guards Zeus was trying to seduce Io, a priestess of Hera at Argos, and when she ran from him, changed her into a white cow to conceal her from Hera, his wife. Hera asked for the cow as a present, and set many-eyed Argus to guard it. Zeus sent Hermes to kill Argus and free Io, who after much wandering regained her human form, married the Egyptian King Telegonus, and was worshipped as Isis.
Leaf
composed of
paper
gilt
paint
Sticks+guards
composed of
mother-of-pearl
Guards
Length 27.9 cm
Sticks
Accession number: M.7-1836
Primary reference Number: 118047
Stable URI
Owner or interested party:
The Fitzwilliam Museum
Associated department:
Applied Arts
This record can be cited in the Harvard Bibliographic style using the text below:
The Fitzwilliam Museum (2024) "Hera, Hermes, Argus, and Io in the shape of a Cow" Web page available at: https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/id/object/118047 Accessed: 2024-12-22 08:28:03
To cite this record on Wikipedia you can use this code snippet:
{{cite web|url=https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/id/object/118047
|title=Hera, Hermes, Argus, and Io in the shape of a Cow
|author=The Fitzwilliam Museum|accessdate=2024-12-22 08:28:03|publisher=The
University of Cambridge}}
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