Venus and Cupid

About this work

This is a black-and-white engraving of a woman standing sideways, holding a tall spear in one hand. She’s naked except for a belt around her waist, and her hair is styled in curls with leaves woven in. Behind her, a small figure with wings is half-hidden, peeking from the bottom left corner. The lines are all made by pressing a tool into metal—this is how engravings work. The artist used lots of tiny parallel lines (cross-hatching) to show shadows and texture, especially on her skin and the fabric of her belt. Look up engraving to see how this technique creates such sharp details.