Aglaurus was bribed by Mercury to help him court her sister, Herse. The goddess Minerva was not pleased, and saw to it that Aglaurus became jealous instead. Aglaurus prevented Mercury from seeing Herse, and he turned her to stone, blackened by envy. The painting was exhibited at the Paris Salon in 1767. It was then bought, along with Cupid and Psyche, by the Swedish ambassador in Paris, Gustaf Philip Creutz.