Venus and Cupid are shown against a lavish and beautiful landscape background. On the left is a forest with a stag and a hind. On the right is a distant landscape with a castle on a high crag overlooking water, in which other buildings are reflected. Between Venus and Cupid
Venus and Cupid are shown against a lavish and beautiful landscape background. On the left is a forest with a stag and a hind. On the right is a distant landscape with a castle on a high crag overlooking water, in which other buildings are reflected. Between Venus and Cupid is an apple tree hung with fruit. Cupid holds a honeycomb and bees, which appear to have flown out of a large hole in the base of the tree trunk, crawl over him. Venus holds a branch of the tree with her left hand, and raises her left foot over a lower branch. She is naked except for her two necklaces, a thick golden chain and a bejewelled choker, and a large hat, a confection of coloured ostrich plumes on red velvet worn over a cloth of gold cap which conceals her hair. A Latin inscription is placed top right, directly over the blue of the sky. This is the most elaborate of a number of versions of this subject painted by Cranach and his workshop (see Versions). No two are exactly alike, but the inscription here is generally to be found in the same form in all.
[Susan Foister, 'Lucas Cranach the Elder, Cupid complaining to Venus' published online 2015, from 'The German Paintings before 1800', London: forthcoming.
www.nationalgallery.org.uk/paintings/research/lucas-cranach-the-elder-cupid-complaining-to-venus]
- Attribution
- Lucas Cranach the Elder
Attribution
Lucas Cranach the Elder | [The National Gallery, revised 2011] |
- Production dates
- about 1525
about 1530
Production dates
about 1525 | [The National Gallery, revised 2011] |
about 1530 | [Exhib. Cat. Hamburg 2003, No. 62] |
- Dimensions
- Dimensions of support: 82.1 x 55.8 cm
Dimensions
Dimensions of support: 82.1 x 55.8 cm
[The National Gallery, revised 2011]
- Signature / Dating
Artist's insignia at the bottom centre, on a stone: winged serpent with elevated wings, facing left; in black paint
Signature / Dating
Artist's insignia at the bottom centre, on a stone: winged serpent with elevated wings, facing left; in black paint
- Inscriptions and Labels
- top right: 'DVM PVER ALVEO[LO] F[VRATUR ME]LLA CUPIDO/ FURANTI DIGITVM CV[SPIDE] F[IXIT] APIS/ SIC ETIAM …
Inscriptions and Labels
Inscriptions, Badges:
- top right:
'DVM PVER ALVEO[LO] F[VRATUR ME]LLA CUPIDO/ FURANTI DIGITVM CV[SPIDE] F[IXIT] APIS/ SIC ETIAM NOBIS BREVIS ET [PERI]TVRA VOLUPTAS/ QUAM PETIMUS TRI[S]T[I] [M]IXTA DOLORE N[O]CET' (Young Cupid was stealing honey from a hive when a bee stung the thief on the finger. So it is for us: the brief and fleeting pleasure we seek/ is mingled with sadness and brings us pain).
[Susan Foister, `Lucas Cranach the Elder, Cupid complaining to Venus' published online 2015, from 'The German Paintings before 1800', London: forthcoming.
www.nationalgallery.org.uk/paintings/research/lucas-cranach-the-elder-cupid-complaining-to-venus]
- Owner
- The National Gallery, London
- Repository
- The National Gallery, London
- Location
- London
- CDA ID
- UK_NGL_6344
- FR (1978) Nr.
- FR246L
- Persistent Link
- https://lucascranach.org/en/UK_NGL_6344/
- top right: 'DVM PVER ALVEO[LO] F[VRATUR ME]LLA CUPIDO/ FURANTI DIGITVM CV[SPIDE] F[IXIT] APIS/ SIC ETIAM …