L'Amour couronné par les Graces (Cupid crowned by the Graces) 1770 - 1805

Alexandre Chaponnier made this drawing entitled 'Cupid Crowned by the Graces' with pen and grey ink, watercolor, and graphite in France probably around 1780. The image depicts a scene derived from classical mythology that was popular in courtly society, in which the infant god Cupid is crowned with flowers by the three Graces. It reflects the Neoclassical style that privileged a certain aesthetic of antique art, and it’s important to remember that the artists and patrons circulating in the French Royal Academy would have consumed and debated theories of beauty promoted by men like Winckelmann. In this context, the image can be read as more than just a pleasant scene: it evokes the very institutions and cultural ideals that shaped the art world of the era. By researching the archives of the Royal Academy and reading the writings of its members, we can understand the social and institutional context in which Chaponnier made this drawing. The history of art reminds us that images are always produced within a specific set of cultural conditions.