Muurfontein met Venus en Cupido in nis c. 1661

William Faithorne made this print of a fountain with Venus and Cupid in a niche, using engraving, sometime in the 17th century. The image presents us with a classical subject matter, typical of the art favored by European elites of the period, framed within an architectural structure. Look at how the print combines mythology with contemporary design. Venus, the goddess of love, and her son Cupid, are placed within what appears to be a fashionable garden feature of the time. The niche, decorated with swags and grotesque masks, reflects the aesthetic tastes of the upper classes in countries such as England, where Faithorne was working at this time. Prints like this played a key role in disseminating artistic ideas. They allowed designs to be circulated and copied and influenced the tastes of patrons and the work of other artists. To fully understand the print's significance, we can delve into period garden design manuals and architectural pattern books. These sources reveal the social aspirations and cultural values that shaped artistic production.