Lucas Cranach and his workshop produced many versions of this mythological theme. Peaceful and perfectly balanced in her posture, Venus seems to discreetly argue that the relationship between Christian virtue, suggested by the cross around her neck, and wordly love need not neccesarily be a tensioned or guilty one. Venus
Lucas Cranach and his workshop produced many versions of this mythological theme. Peaceful and perfectly balanced in her posture, Venus seems to discreetly argue that the relationship between Christian virtue, suggested by the cross around her neck, and wordly love need not neccesarily be a tensioned or guilty one. Venus stands in front of a curtain that is drawn aside to reveal a landscape in the background. Her elegant contraposto is a posture typical of so many female figures from the Cranach workshop. She conceals her nakedness with only a thin transparent veil, descending from the top of her head to her hips. The winged Cupid stands to her left, supporting the bow with his right arm and foot. He mischievously hides the arrow of love from his mother’s sight, but not from us.
- Attributions
-
Lucas Cranach the Elder
Follower of Lucas Cranach the Elder
Attributions
Lucas Cranach the Elder | [MNaR Bucharest, revised 2022] |
Follower of Lucas Cranach the Elder | [cda 2022] |
- Production date
- 152[0] or 152[9] or later
Production date
152[0] or 152[9] or later | [dated] |
- Dimensions
- Dimensions of support: 104 x 57 cm
Dimensions
Dimensions of support: 104 x 57 cm
[MNaR Bucharest, revised 2022]
- Signature / Dating
Artist's Insignia on a stone at the bottom left: serpent without wings, facing right, dated beneath '152[0/9?]', presumably not authentic
Signature / Dating
Artist's Insignia on a stone at the bottom left: serpent without wings, facing right, dated beneath '152[0/9?]', presumably not authentic
- Inscriptions and Labels
None
Inscriptions and Labels
Inscriptions, Badges:
None
- Owner
- Muzeul Național de Artă al României (MNaR)
- Repository
- Muzeul Național de Artă al României (MNaR)
- Location
- Bucharest
- CDA ID
- RO_MNaR_8107-141
- FR (1978) Nr.
- FR-none
- Persistent Link
- https://lucascranach.org/en/RO_MNaR_8107-141/