My Aim is Your Heart (valentine) 1840s

This Valentine card, by John Windsor, presents us with the archetypal figure of Cupid, poised to strike, not with arrows of death, but with those of love. In the ancient world, Eros, or Cupid as the Romans knew him, was a primordial god, a force of nature representing attraction itself. Over time, he transformed into the playful cherub we see here. Note how the open book bears the inscription, "My Aim is Your Heart", a direct, almost violent declaration, yet softened by the idyllic garden setting and the ornate lettering. Cupid's arrow, a symbol of sudden, often painful, infatuation, has its roots in ancient myths where arrows could inflict incurable wounds or irresistible desires. This motif echoes through art history, from classical sculptures to Renaissance paintings. The enduring power of this image lies in its ability to tap into our collective memory, reminding us of love's potential to both wound and heal.