Cupido met pijlen in zijn hand 1658 - 1677

This image is a print made by Wallerant Vaillant, presenting Cupid holding arrows. The figure of Cupid, derived from the Greco-Roman tradition as Eros, embodies desire, affection, and erotic love. The quiver of arrows, a constant attribute, symbolizes the pains and ecstasies of love, as each arrow is meant to strike and ignite feelings of either desire or aversion in the hearts of gods and mortals. Consider the persistence of this motif. From ancient sculptures to Renaissance paintings, we see Cupid's image consistently deployed. The arrows can be found in medieval allegories, where the act of shooting represents the sudden, often irrational nature of love, a force capable of overwhelming reason. The endurance of Cupid with his arrows shows how deeply rooted archetypes tap into our collective consciousness. It illustrates the cyclical nature of symbols, resurfacing and evolving through diverse cultural landscapes, continuously engaging with our innermost feelings.