Winged Mercury

by Sarah Loft

Title

Winged Mercury

Artist

Sarah Loft

Medium

Photograph - Photograph With Added Texture

Description

The relief sculpture "Winged Mercury", located above the Channel Gardens Entrance of 620 Fifth Avenue at Rockefeller Center, New York City, is the creation of German-born American artist Lee Lawrie (1877-1963).

From https://www.rockefellercenter.com/art-and-history/art/winged-mercury/ : "The Roman god Mercury has been used to symbolize Britain’s worldwide strength in the 1930s, and here the gilded figure is depicted on a mission, rapidly flying over blue-green waves. His helmet signifies power and protection, while the small wings on his heels symbolize swiftness. This panel stands for the wealth and vitality of the British merchant fleets that built the empire and sailed the seas. The intaglio relief, meaning carved or engraved into the stone without any areas being higher than the surrounding stone, is a classic Art Deco architectural embellishment."


Per Wikipedia: Rockefeller Center is a large complex consisting of 19 high-rise commercial buildings covering 22 acres between 48th and 51st Streets in New York City. Commissioned by the Rockefeller family, it is located in the center of Midtown Manhattan, spanning the area between Fifth Avenue and Sixth Avenue. It was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1987.


Per Wikipedia: Mercury is a major Roman god, being one of the Dii Consentes within the ancient Roman pantheon. He is the patron god of financial gain, commerce, eloquence (and thus poetry), messages/communication (including divination), travelers, boundaries, luck, trickery and thieves; he is also the guide of souls to the underworld.

Mercury did not appear among the numinous di indigetes of early Roman religion. Rather, he subsumed the earlier Dei Lucrii as Roman religion was syncretized with Greek religion during the time of the Roman Republic, starting around the 4th century BC. From the beginning, Mercury had essentially the same aspects as Hermes, wearing winged shoes (talaria) and a winged hat (petasos), and carrying the caduceus, a herald's staff with two entwined snakes that was Apollo's gift to Hermes. He was often accompanied by a cockerel, herald of the new day, a ram or goat, symbolizing fertility, and a tortoise, referring to Mercury's legendary invention of the lyre from a tortoise shell.

Note: The watermark will not appear on the print you purchase.

Featured in the Images That Excite You group, April 2017.

Featured in the Bedroom Art Gallery group, April 2017.

Featured in the ABC group, April 2017.

Featured in The Earth is Art group, May 2018.

Uploaded

April 6th, 2017

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