Artwork
Venus and Cupid
Venus and Cupid is a print by the Impressionist artist Henri Fantin-Latour. It dates from 1896 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
About this work
Overview
Henri Fantin‑Latour’s 1896 print titled *Venus and Cupid* belongs to the mythological genre and is part of the Cleveland Museum of Art’s collection. The image presents a nude female figure seated on the ground, turned away from the viewer, with a small winged child—presumably Cupid—standing behind her, bow in hand.
Subject & Meaning
The composition suggests an intimate, private encounter between the goddess Venus and her son. The woman’s turned posture and the discreet placement of Cupid convey a moment of quiet contemplation rather than overt narrative drama, inviting the viewer to observe a secluded scene from classical mythology.
Technique & Style
Fantin‑Latour employs smooth, curving lines to model the female form, contrasting with the looser, more expressive brushwork used for the background foliage. Strong chiaroscuro enhances the sense of three‑dimensionality, while the dark, indistinct backdrop isolates the figures and emphasizes their volume.
History & Provenance
Created in the late nineteenth century, the work reflects Fantin‑Latour’s occasional forays beyond his well‑known still‑life and portrait subjects into mythological themes. It entered the Cleveland Museum of Art’s holdings at an unspecified date, where it remains on view as part of the museum’s print collection.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Ignace Henri Jean Theodore Fantin-Latour (French pronunciation: ; 14 January 1836 – 25 August 1904) was a French painter and lithographer best known for his flower paintings and group portraits of Parisian artists and writers.
