Giovanni da Bologna's famed "Flying Mercury" captures the Greek messenger of the gods speeding through the skies. Mercury is depicted wearing a winged petasus on his head and winged sandals which give him speed in flight. He carries the caduceus in his hand, the magic wand given to him by Apollo that has come to symbolizes the practice of medicine.

A bronze column of breath from Aeolus, the wind god, serves as a pedestal to propel Mercury upward and forward. Mercury points upward towards Jupiter in a contraposto (twist of the body) pose that is both elegant and powerful. With his knowledge of anatomy and exceptional artistic skill, it is no wonder that da Bologna's masterpiece originally sculpted in 1580 remains one of today's most cherished bronze artworks.

(Note this sculpture is missing Mercury's caduceus)

This object is part of "Scan The World". Scan the World is a non-profit initiative introduced by MyMiniFactory, through which we are creating a digital archive of fully 3D printable sculptures, artworks and landmarks from across the globe for the public to access for free. Scan the World is an open source, community effort, if you have interesting items around you and would like to contribute, email stw@myminifactory.com to find out how you can help.