Always interesting to have another image to compare and contrast, in this case mostly contrast. It is an atypical, rather featureless merperson, no mirror, no comb, no duckies. It does appear to have a golden sword / rod (?). The real difference is the situation. Dante is being shown a 'hierarchy of being'.
The Lauber illustrations of "sea monsters" and "fish" show creatures of a certain type and, as it happens, generic mermaids are included in both illustrations. De Metz (long passed) in Harley 334 does the same.
The VMs is not a hierarchy situation. The VMs more closely follows the other three - in its own weird way. The fish have been replaced by creatures with legs. And who is the VMs special guest mermaid? Know any mermaids with legs?
The Lauber illustrations of "sea monsters" and "fish" show creatures of a certain type and, as it happens, generic mermaids are included in both illustrations. De Metz (long passed) in Harley 334 does the same.
The VMs is not a hierarchy situation. The VMs more closely follows the other three - in its own weird way. The fish have been replaced by creatures with legs. And who is the VMs special guest mermaid? Know any mermaids with legs?