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Cupid with bow

Roger Fenton

1855

photographic

From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum

Impressionism Realism Early 19th Century Mythology Putto

Dominant colour

Cupid with bow is a 1855 photographic by Roger Fenton, a Impressionism work, depicting Putto, held at Victoria and Albert Museum.

Who painted this?: Roger Fenton
When & what style?: 1855 · Impressionism
Where can I see it?: Victoria and Albert Museum

About this work

This is a black-and-white photo of a stone statue. It shows a bare-chested boy with curly hair, holding a bow in one hand. Behind him, a wing sprouts from his back, and a lion’s head sits on the base beside his feet. The photo was taken in 1855, and the statue looks like it’s made to look soft but strong. The artist used simple shapes to show the boy’s body and the lion’s face. Look up putto to see how this kind of figure appears in other art.

The story of this work

Overview

A sepia-toned photograph from 1855 by Roger Fenton shows a statue of a winged boy holding a bow. The figure stands beside a post covered with a lion’s pelt. The image captures the classical subject in monochrome.

Read the full account in the museum source.