Venus and Cupid
1587
ink
paper
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
About the artist
Artist
Jacob Matham
Jacob Matham (1571–1631) was a Dutch artist, born in Haarlem.
See the richer artist page1587
ink
paper
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Venus and Cupid is a 1587 ink by Jacob Matham, a Renaissance work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This engraving shows two figures tangled in a swirl of bodies and wings. The top figure, a woman with curly hair, floats above a smaller child who clutches a bow and arrow. Both have soft, rounded faces, but the woman’s arms stretch out awkwardly while the child’s legs dangle. Around them, feathers and drapery twist into the shape of clouds or fabric, making the scene feel dreamy and chaotic. Notice how the artist used tiny parallel lines to build up shadows and textures—even the feathers look real. The Latin text at the bottom is just decoration here, but it hints at a story. Want to see how artists like this made prints before photography? Look up engraving.
Jacob Matham (1571–1631) was a Dutch artist, born in Haarlem.
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