Rare original etching Mercury and Argus circa 1640. Etching on antique laid paper presented matted and framed. Print size 9 11/16” x 11 13/17” Overall framed size 13 x 17” a genuine Renaissance era artwork. Biography; Simone Cantarini or Simone da Pesaro, called il Pesarese (Baptized on 21 August 1612 – 15 October 1648) was an Italian painter and etcher. He is known mainly for his history paintings and portraits executed in an original style, which united aspects of Bolognese classicism with a bold naturalism. The myth of Mercury and Argus tells of the Roman god Mercury (also known as Hermes in Greek mythology) being sent by Jupiter (Zeus) to kill Argus, a giant with a hundred eyes, in order to free Io, who had been transformed into a heifer. Mercury, known for his cunning, lulls Argus to sleep with his music before beheading him. This story is a popular subject in art, with numerous paintings and other depictions by various artists