Cupid Sleeping Under a Tent c. 19th century

Curator: Here we have "Cupid Sleeping Under a Tent" by Mauro Gandolfi, born in 1764. It presents as quite a peaceful scene. Editor: It’s interesting how Gandolfi depicts Cupid, usually a symbol of passionate love, in such a vulnerable, almost industrial state of repose. Curator: The tent itself becomes a kind of factory tent, housing the materials of love - arrows, perhaps a quiver, all laid out. It's about the construction of the concept of love. Editor: The image recalls older ideas about Cupid as dangerous and unpredictable. The closed eyes and vulnerable body suggest the potential for misdirected desires. Curator: The artist seems very concerned with the manufacturing of emotion, love as a produced commodity. Editor: I agree, but I still sense the underlying power of Cupid as an untamed force, even in sleep. Curator: It seems that Gandolfi is more interested in the societal framework that creates these symbols. Editor: Whether as a symbol of production or cultural danger, the artwork still creates an image of the powerful symbolism of cupid.