Venus and Cupid with a Bow

About this work

This print shows Venus, the Roman goddess of love, holding a chubby Cupid while he aims a bow at her. Soft light falls on her face and chest, but the background stays dark. The colors are muted—blues and browns—so the shapes pop. Jackson used woodcut blocks to carve the image, then printed it in four layers. It’s rare because artists usually carved one block, not four. The way light and shadow blend feels almost like a painting. Want to see how he did it? Look up Jackson, John Baptist.