Artwork
Sleeping Venus with Cupid
Sleeping Venus with Cupid is an oil painting by the Early Baroque Italian artist Nicolas Poussin. It dates from 1630 and is held in the collection of the Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden.
About this work
Overview
Sleeping Venus with Cupid is a 1630 oil painting by Nicolas Poussin, now housed at the Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister in Dresden.
Subject & Meaning
The painting depicts a serene scene of Venus reclining on a rock, accompanied by a gentle cherub (Cupid/Amor), conveying an atmosphere of peacefulness and tranquility.
Technique & Style
Poussin employed chiaroscuro to create depth and volume, with the figure of Venus emerging from the shadows, set against a backdrop of lush greenery.
History & Provenance
Completed in 1630, the work was later featured in the 1980 BBC Two series '100 Great Paintings' and is currently part of the Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister's collection in Dresden.
Artist & collection
Artist
Nicolas Poussin (UK: US: French:; June 1594 – 19 November 1665) was a leading painter of the classical French Baroque style, although he spent most of his working life in Rome.
