Artwork
Ceres, Bacchus and Cupid
Ceres, Bacchus and Cupid is an oil painting by the Rococo painting artist Giovanni Antonio Pellegrini. It dates from 1715 and is held in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst.
About this work
Overview
Giovanni Antonio Pellegrini painted Ceres, Bacchus and Cupid in 1715. Executed in oil on canvas, the work belongs to the early Rococo period and is now part of the Statens Museum for Kunst collection. The composition presents three mythological figures in a calm, intimate setting.
Subject & Meaning
The scene brings together the Roman goddess of agriculture, Ceres, the god of wine, Bacchus, and the winged figure of Cupid. Their interaction—Ceres looking toward a child, Bacchus seated and contemplative—suggests themes of fertility, abundance, and love intertwined in a domestic tableau.
Technique & Style
Pellegrini combines the luminous colour palette of the Baroque with the lighter, decorative touches that anticipate Rococo. The figures are rendered with soft modelling against a dark background, allowing the pale skin tones and flowing drapery to stand out, creating a sense of depth and gentle movement.
History & Provenance
Created during Pellegrini’s prolific early‑18th‑century career, the painting reflects his reputation as a leading Venetian history painter who worked on commissions across Europe. After changing hands over the centuries, it entered the Statens Museum for Kunst, where it remains on display.
Context
At the time of its execution, mythological subjects were popular in aristocratic interiors, serving both decorative and allegorical purposes. Pellegrini’s choice of Ceres, Bacchus, and Cupid aligns with contemporary tastes for classical motifs that conveyed moral and sensual ideas simultaneously.
Artist & collection
Artist
Giovanni Antonio Pellegrini (29 April 1675 – 2 or 5 November 1741) was one of the leading Venetian history painters of the early 18th century.
