The mischievous, naked Cupid, clutching his bow, identifies the languid nude lady as his mother Venus, the goddess of love. Her wispy hair and transparent drapery flutter around as if in a gentle breeze, their lightness contrasting with the heavy gold necklaces. She conforms to Cranach's ideal of beauty, inspired
The mischievous, naked Cupid, clutching his bow, identifies the languid nude lady as his mother Venus, the goddess of love. Her wispy hair and transparent drapery flutter around as if in a gentle breeze, their lightness contrasting with the heavy gold necklaces. She conforms to Cranach's ideal of beauty, inspired by the theory of classical art rather than by practical examples. Cranach signed the painting on Cupid's pedestal with a winged serpent. This motif featured on the coat of arms awarded to him by the Elector of Saxony in 1508. From about 1537 the serpent's wings appear folded as here.
[http://www.nationalgalleries.org/collection/artists-a-z/C/3005/artist_name/Lucas%20Cranach/record_id/2460](accessed 21.05.2013]
- Attribution
- Lucas Cranach the Elder
Attribution
| Lucas Cranach the Elder | [Friedländer, Rosenberg 1979, 151, No. 399] |
- Production dates
- about 1537
about 1537-1540
Production dates
| about 1537 | [National Gallery of Scotland, revised 2017] |
| about 1537-1540 | [Friedländer, Rosenberg 1979, 151, No. 399] |
- Dimensions
- Dimensions of support: 38.10 x 27 cm
Dimensions
Dimensions of support: 38.10 x 27 cm
[National Gallery of Scotland, revised 2017]
- Signature / Dating
Artist's insignia on the pedestal at the bottom left: winged serpent
Signature / Dating
Artist's insignia on the pedestal at the bottom left: winged serpent
[National Gallery of Scotland, revised 2017]
- Owner
- National Gallery of Scotland, Edinburgh
- Repository
- National Gallery of Scotland, Edinburgh
- Location
- Edinburgh
- CDA ID
- UK_NGS_NG1942
- FR (1978) Nr.
- FR399
- Persistent Link
- https://lucascranach.org/en/UK_NGS_NG1942/
