Mars en Venus als geliefden 1539

Curator: Welcome! We are standing before Giovanni Battista Scultori’s “Mars en Venus als geliefden,” a print created around 1539. Editor: Well, my first impression is that this bedroom scene is intensely… theatrical. Everyone is posing, and is that a stage curtain hanging up there? Even the light seems to be on cue. Curator: The dramatic lighting, the figures in the foreground, and the general subject matter – Venus, goddess of love, and Mars, god of war – are quintessential elements of Mannerism. Erotic-art pieces like this circulated widely, demonstrating and reinforcing power structures. Editor: Right, but look at Mars here – practically buckling under the weight of his armor! He looks so sweetly awkward. Is it just me, or is the little Cupid smirking? Like he knows something we don’t? I bet Venus would appreciate a night off. Curator: Scultori made this engraving during a fascinating time of increased cross-pollination and experimentation, with more freedom and confidence among artists as their status grew. This is one interpretation of the familiar love triangle involving Vulcan. There's that slightly off-kilter energy in play with the Mannerists that can’t be ignored. Editor: Agreed, you get the sense the artist has really let loose with those swooping lines and dramatic contrasts! See that sphinx looming in the background, like a silent, knowing observer? Gives me chills. But also makes me wonder what a sequel would look like. I bet she has an opinion or two. Curator: The printing press obviously expanded the audience and accessibility of erotic art. Now, with more artworks to meet the growing taste, we can begin to address its effects on public opinion and expectations, how it contributes to larger beliefs and institutions. Editor: It feels to me like, beneath all the high drama, there's an invitation here. To not just witness a scene, but maybe consider our own, maybe less shiny versions of those love triangles that shape our lives, maybe more of those stories yet to come!