Venus and Cupid, the Honey Thief

The pale statuesque form of Venus, the Roman goddess of love, stands out against the simple natural backdrop of this large format painting. She looks coquettishly out of the image, while Cupid looks ruefully up at her holding a honeycomb in his hand. Her jewels and diaphanous veil are characteristic of Cranach, however her physical features do appear somewhat awkward. The ancient subject refers to Theocritus' Idyll. Venus cautions Cupid, who complains that he has been stung by bees, and reminds the viewer that even the briefest lust is associated with bitter pain. This fusion of a morality tale and an erotic appeal made the motif popular at the time and variants were not only produced by Cranach and his workshop.

[cda 2020]