Mars and Venus Caught in Vulcan's Invisible Net c. 1809

This drawing, *Mars and Venus Caught in Vulcan’s Invisible Net*, was made by Christian Friedrich Tieck, a German artist living in the late 18th and early 19th century. Friedrich is here depicting a scene from classical mythology: Vulcan, the god of the forge, ensnaring his adulterous wife Venus, the goddess of love, and her lover Mars, the god of war, in an invisible net. This drawing speaks to the era’s fascination with classical antiquity and mythology, yet it also tells a more intimate story about the artist's role in society. Friedrich was a sculptor who worked for the Prussian royal family. The story of Vulcan, Venus, and Mars, a narrative about power, infidelity, and public humiliation, would have been deeply familiar to the aristocratic and royal circles in which Friedrich moved. The artist’s choice to depict this scene invites us to consider the complex dynamics of love, power, and social status. How does this story reflect or critique the social structures of Friedrich’s time? How does it speak to the personal struggles that may have mirrored the emotional complexities of his own life?