Venus en Cupido c. 1612

"Venus en Cupido" is a small engraving by Boëtius Adamsz. Bolswert, found here at the Rijksmuseum. Consider the long history of Venus, the Roman goddess of love, beauty, and desire, frequently paired with her son Cupid. Here, we find Venus leading Cupid by the hand, and what might at first seem like a tender depiction of maternal love, can also be seen as an allegory of how love and desire are cultivated. Notice how Venus's gaze is directed upwards, away from Cupid, perhaps symbolizing a longing for something beyond the present. The emotional complexity of the artwork reflects the social and cultural values of the time, when images of love and beauty were often used to convey moral and philosophical ideas. This image subtly emphasizes the complexities and ambiguities inherent in love.