Who created "Venus and Cupid"?

Venus and Cupid was created by Lucas Cranach the Elder in ca. 1525–27.

When was "Venus and Cupid" created?

This artwork was created ca. 1525–27.

What medium is "Venus and Cupid"?

Venus and Cupid is Oil on wood.

Is "Venus and Cupid" in the public domain?

Yes, Venus and Cupid is in the public domain and available for free download under CC0 license.

Venus and Cupid

Lucas Cranach the Elder

ca. 1525–27

Medium

Oil on wood

Dimensions

Diameter 4 3/4 in. (12.1 cm)

Classification

Paintings

Department

European Paintings

Museum

Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY

Credit

The Jack and Belle Linsky Collection, 1982

Accession Number

1982.60.48

Tags

Female NudesCupidVenus

Art Historical Context

Nestled in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's European Paintings department, *Venus and Cupid* by Lucas Cranach the Elder (ca. 1525–27) is a gem of intimate scale—just 4¾ inches in diameter. This circular oil-on-wood t captures the Roman goddess of love, Venus, in a graceful nude pose alongside her son, Cupid, evoking themes of beauty, desire, and affection. The petite format suggests it was crafted for private contemplation, perhaps as a treasured cabinet piece for a Renaissance collector. Cranach, a leading German Renaissance artist and court painter to the Electors of Saxony, was renowned fo...

About the Artist

Lucas Cranach the Elder · 1472–1553

Lucas Cranach the Elder (c. 1472-1553) was one of the most prominent German Renaissance painters and a key artistic figure of the Protestant Reformation. Born in Kronach, Franconia, to the painter Hans Maler, Cranach began his career in Vienna around 1502, where he became one of the founders of the Danube School, a movement characterized by expressive landscape painting and emotional force. His ea...

Venus and Cupid

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