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Venus and Cupid

Giulio Campi

1537

chalk

paper

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Renaissance Renaissance Mythology

Dominant colour

Venus and Cupid is a 1537 chalk by Giulio Campi, a Renaissance work, held at National Gallery of Art.

Who painted this?: Giulio Campi
When & what style?: 1537 · Renaissance
Where can I see it?: National Gallery of Art

About this work

This sketch shows two figures tangled together in a loose, swirling line. One looks like a woman with flowing hair, the other a small child clinging to her. Their bodies are drawn fast, with quick strokes that don’t quite smooth out—some lines cross over others, and the paper shows through in spots. The sketch feels half-finished, like the artist was still figuring out the shapes. The paper is old and worn, with stains and a few tears along the edges. Next, check out Renaissance to see how artists like this one played with movement and quick sketches.