Cupid Chastised

1613

This dramatic scene by Bartolomeo Manfredi shows Mars, the god of war, beating Cupid for having caused his affair with Venus, the goddess of love. The sheer physicality of the figures as well as the bold illumination from the left further the work's dynamism. The composition is on one level a tale of domestic disturbance but also symbolizes the eternal conflict between love and war.

Public domain · CC0
Free to download and reuse. Image courtesy of Art Institute of Chicago.

Artist

Bartolomeo Manfredi (Italian, 1582–1622)

Date

1613

Medium

Oil on canvas

Dimensions

175.3 × 130.6 cm (69 × 51 3/8 in.)

Origin

Italy

Collection

Art Institute of Chicago

Credit

Charles H. and Mary F. S. Worcester Collection