Mytologisk scene 1556 - 1629

Otto van Veen rendered this mythological scene in delicate brown ink. Above the crowd, we find a winged Cupid, bow in hand. It is a symbol of love, resonating from antiquity through the Renaissance and beyond. Consider how Cupid, originally Eros, god of love, appears in countless Roman frescoes, often depicted leading mortals into states of passion and frenzy. The symbolism of Cupid transcends mere romantic love, carrying with it the intense psychological undercurrents of desire and longing that affect our subconscious. The motif’s recurring presence illustrates our enduring fascination with love as a potent, often irrational force. Much like the figures painted in Pompeii, the Cupid we see here reminds us of the cyclical return and reinvention of classical ideas. The image evokes how the human psyche processes and repurposes the symbols that influence how we behave.