Venus in her Chariot from a set of Mythological Subjects after Raphael 1686 - 1692

This tapestry of Venus in her Chariot was made after Raphael, though the exact date remains unknown. We see Venus, the Roman goddess of love, being carried in her chariot. The tapestry is part of a set of Mythological Subjects and highlights the cultural fascination with classical mythology during the Renaissance. Tapestries like this one were luxury items, often commissioned by wealthy patrons to display their knowledge and status. Raphael's work, and its reproduction in tapestry form, speaks to the social conditions of the time, where art served to reinforce the power and prestige of the elite. It also indicates how the institution of the art market catered to the desires of the upper class. Art historians use a range of resources, from archival documents to studies of patronage, to understand the social and institutional contexts in which art is made and consumed. The meaning of art is contingent on these contexts.