Venus wijst Aeneas en Achates de weg naar Dido's paleis 1757 - 1760

Giovanni Domenico Tiepolo created this print, "Venus wijst Aeneas en Achates de weg naar Dido's paleis," sometime in the 18th century, using etching. Tiepolo lived during a time of shifting social structures. We can observe the influence of Enlightenment ideals through his choice to engage with classical narratives from Virgil's Aeneid. In this scene, Venus guides Aeneas, a Trojan hero, and his companion Achates towards Queen Dido's palace. Aeneas looks up to Venus, who is depicted as a divine figure, floating on a cloud with her child Cupid. We can ask ourselves, is Tiepolo inviting us to consider the relationship between fate and human agency? Tiepolo invites us to consider the themes of fate, guidance, and destiny. It's interesting to note, that while the scene depicts a moment of divine intervention, it also highlights Aeneas's role in shaping his own destiny. Tiepolo explores the tensions between the grand narratives of mythology, and the personal journeys of individuals navigating their own paths.