Venus and Cupid / Hendrick Goltzius
About this Item
Record Details
- Accession Number
- 1998/2.17
- Title
- Venus and Cupid
- Artist
- Hendrick Goltzius
- Artist Nationality
- Dutch
- Artist Life Dates
- 1558 - 1617
- Medium and Support
- engraving on laid paper
- Object Creation Date
- circa 1596
- Object Creation Place
- Europe (continent)
- Netherlands (nation)
- Creation Place 1
- Europe (continent)
- Creation Place 2
- Netherlands (nation)
- Dimensions
- 33.7 cm x 25.2 cm (13 1/4 in. x 9 15/16 in.)
- Century
- 16th century
- Primary Object Classification
- Primary Object Type
- intaglio print
- Secondary Object Classification
- Secondary Object Type
- black and white print
- Physical Description
- This black and white print shows a nude woman and young boy with wings within an oval shape.The woman is lounging on a draped surface and has her arm around the boy. He is facing toward her and pushing an arrow against her left breast. Other smaller scenes surround these figures including, a woman in a chariot drawn by swans; a man and a woman conversing in a forest; two figures in a landscape scene and two birds nestled together. Outside the oval in the corners of the work are hearts, flaming arrows and roses . At the bottom is Latin lettering.
- Subject Matter
- Goltzius was known as one of the premiere engravers in Europe and this depiction of Venus and Cupid shows the artist at the peak of his powers. Venus, the goddess of love, is seen reclining at an angle within the oval format of the image. Her left arm is draped around the figure of Cupid, whose arrow is about to pierce her chest near her heart. Notwithstanding the playful threat of Cupid’s arrow, the inscription at the bottom attests to Venus’s uncontested command over men: “Our immense power is observed throughout the world, and my fire has widespread potency. Neither any god or man escapes my arrows to which are attached feathered wings.”
- Primary Keywords
- arrows
- black-and-white prints
- figures (representations)
- intaglio printing
- nudes
- winged
- Secondary Keywords
- descriptors
- image-making processes and techniques
- objects we use
- printing
- printing and printing processes and techniques
- prints
- prints by process or technique
- processes and techniques
- processes and techniques by specific type
- projectile weapons
- projectile weapons with nonexplosive propellant
- projectiles with nonexplosive propellant
- visual works
- visual works by medium or technique
- visual works by subject type
- weapons
- weapons and ammunition
- Rights
- If you are interested in using an image for a publication, please visit https://umma.umich.edu/about/services/request-image/ for more information and to fill out the online Image Rights and Reproductions Request Form.
Technical Details
- Collection
- University of Michigan Museum of Art
- Image Size
- 1948 x 2634
- File Size
- 682 KB
- Record
- 1998/2.17
- Link to this Item
-
https://quod.lib.umich.edu/m/musart/x-1998-sl-2.17/1998_2.17.jpg
Rights and Permissions
Related Links
Portfolios
- In public portfolios
Cite this Item
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- Full citation
-
"Venus and Cupid; Hendrick Goltzius." In the digital collection University of Michigan Museum of Art. https://quod.lib.umich.edu/m/musart/x-1998-sl-2.17/1998_2.17.jpg. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed April 24, 2024.
