Venus, Mars, and Cupid
Medium
Etching
Dimensions
sheet: 13 3/16 x 15 15/16 in. (33.5 x 40.5 cm) plate: 8 7/8 x 11 13/16 in. (22.5 x 30 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Elisha Whittelsey Collection, The Elisha Whittelsey Fund, 1951
Accession Number
51.501.2641
Tags
Art Historical Context
Behold the enchanting etching *Venus, Mars, and Cupid* (1725–80), a collaborative print by Italian artist Carlo Maratti and engraver Francesco Lamarra. This 13 3/16 x 15 15/16-inch sheet captures the timeless mythological trio: Venus, goddess of love; Mars, god of war; and their son Cupid, symbolizing desire. Shields feature prominently in the composition, evoking Mars's martial prowess amid the tender entanglement of love and conflict—a classic Baroque motif blending passion with tension. Created as an etching, this work exemplifies 18th-century printmaking techniques, where acid bites into ...
About the Artist
Carlo Maratti|Francesco Lamarra · 1625–1713
Son of a Dalmatian father. Known as the last major Italian artist of the classical tradition, which had originated with Raphael. He created a grandiose and decorative style that was valued by his ecclesiastical patrons. Comment on works: History; Religious.