Cerchia di Francesco Albani (XVII) - Venere e Cupido

At the center of the composition sits the goddess Venus, semi-nude and partially covered by a silvered drapery richly draped. With her right hand she affectionately grasps the back of little Cupid (Love), depicted as a naked, shoulder-baring boy who tries to climb and cling to his mother's breast. Meanwhile, Venus raises her left arm to keep the bow or the string out of the child’s reach, thereby taking away from him his famous weapons with which he shoots the arrows of love.

The scene is characterized by a deep theatrical and intimate atmosphere. The dark background, dominated by a heavy reddish curtain, highlights by contrast the fair skin of the two bodies. This strong light contrast (chiaroscuro) gives three-dimensionality to the bodies and accentuates the softness of the flesh and the luster of the silky fabrics in the foreground.

Era e Stile
The work is datable to the seventeenth century (high Baroque).
The robust yet soft anatomical details, Venus’s facial features, the warm palette enriched by strong highlights, and the neovenetian flavor of the composition point to the hand of a master of the Italian School of the Seicento. The structure and the drapery are strongly influenced by the Emilian models (inheritance of the circle of Francesco Albani) and by the Venetian-Baroque painting tradition.

47 x 55 cm with Frame
The frame visible in the photo is included as a courtesy and does not form an integral part of the artwork. Any damage to the frame will not be a valid reason for complaints or order cancellations.