Venus in de smidse van Vulcanus 1696 - 1727

Matthijs Pool created this engraving, "Venus in de smidse van Vulcanus," using lines etched into a metal plate. The image depicts the Roman god Vulcan's workshop, complete with the tools of the blacksmith’s trade: hammers, tongs, and a fiery forge. We can almost feel the heat radiating from the metal. Vulcan and his assistants, rendered with muscular physiques, are hard at work. The labor looks intense, each swing of the hammer a testament to physical strength and the transformative power of fire. Venus, the goddess of love, stands by, a silent observer of this scene of manufacture. The contrast between her idealized beauty and the brawny, sweaty figures underscores a divide between creative labor and divine beauty. Pool's engraving invites us to consider the social implications of labor, skill, and the role of the artisan in society, suggesting that even the gods rely on craftsmanship.