Venus vaart naar Cyprus 1675 - 1680

"Venus vaart naar Cyprus" (Venus Sails to Cyprus), created between 1675 and 1680 by Dutch artist Gerard de Lairesse, depicts the Roman goddess Venus traveling by seashell to Cyprus. This etching, now part of the Rijksmuseum collection, showcases Lairesse's skilled depiction of classical mythology and human anatomy. The image, though small in dimension (215 mm x 169 mm), captures a dynamic moment of Venus's journey, with Cupid steering the seashell as waves churn behind them. Lairesse's mastery of line and detail is evident in the intricate rendering of the figures and the surrounding landscape, creating a visually compelling narrative.