Venus and Cupid 17th-18th century

Curator: This is Gerard de Lairesse's "Venus and Cupid," currently housed in the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: The stark, etched lines create a rather melancholic feel despite the classical subject. The rendering is almost metallic. Curator: Right, Lairesse often explored the commodification of beauty and love within patriarchal structures, especially visible when considering Venus's partially exposed form alongside Cupid's dependence. Editor: The cross-hatching suggests labor and craft, almost a mass-produced feeling that juxtaposes with the supposed uniqueness of divine beauty. Curator: Precisely, it compels us to examine the accessibility and representation of these concepts through a socio-political lens. Editor: It makes you think about the materials of its production, and how the creation of such an image impacts our understanding of mythology. Curator: A powerful statement on the objectification of beauty. Editor: Definitely a rich image to ponder in terms of its construction and cultural implications.