Venus Punishing Profane Love 1595

This 1595 etching by Agostino Carracci depicts the Roman goddess Venus punishing Cupid, god of love, for his actions. The goddess, holding a whip, stands over Cupid, who is being held down by another cupid. The scene is set in a landscape with a tree in the background. The etching is a fine example of Carracci's work, which often featured mythological scenes and classical themes. Carracci used a hatched technique to create shading and give the figures a three-dimensional quality.