Artwork
Mercury and Jupiter in the House of Philemon and Baucis
Mercury and Jupiter in the House of Philemon and Baucis is a paint painting by the Flemish Baroque painting artist Philip Gyselaer. It is held in the collection of the Kunsthistorisches Museum.
About this work
Overview
Created circa 1650, this oil painting by Flemish artist Philip Gyselaer portrays a domestic interior where three male figures and a duck are gathered.
Created circa 1650, this oil painting by Flemish artist Philip Gyselaer portrays a domestic interior where three male figures and a duck are gathered. The central figure in a yellow robe sits on a tree stump, while a man in red and white kneels to wash his feet in a bronze basin. A third figure, dark‑clothed with a turban, watches from a bench, and a woman is visible near a table in the background.
Subject & Meaning
The scene references the classical myth of Philemon and Baucis, who welcomed the gods Jupiter and Mercury disguised as travelers. By placing the divine visitors in a humble, everyday setting, the work underscores themes of hospitality and the recognition of the sacred within ordinary life.
Technique & Style
Gyselaer employs the dramatic chiaroscuro typical of the Flemish Baroque, using strong contrasts of light and shadow to model the figures and highlight the intimate actions. The palette combines warm earth tones with vivid accents, such as the yellow robe, while the brushwork conveys both texture in the duck and the smoothness of the bronze basin.
History & Provenance
The painting belongs to the collection of the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna. It has remained in the museum’s holdings since at least the 19th century, reflecting the institution’s long‑standing interest in Baroque Flemish works.
Context
Gyselaer worked within the tradition of Willem van Herp, focusing on history paintings that dramatized biblical or mythological narratives. This work exemplifies the mid‑17th‑century Flemish interest in merging classical stories with genre‑like domestic scenes, a trend that appealed to both aristocratic patrons and the emerging middle class.
Artist & collection
Artist
Philip Gyselaer, also Giselaer (c. 1620 – after 1650), was a Flemish painter specialized in history painting in the tradition of Willem van Herp. He was registered at the Antwerp Guild of St. Luke as a pupil of Adriaen…
