Venus and Cupid on a Cloud 1730 - 1767

Johann Justin Preissler created this print, Venus and Cupid on a Cloud, sometime in the 18th century. The piece evokes the artistic and social climate of the Rococo period, an era characterized by its ornate aesthetic, focus on romantic love, and the pleasures of the aristocracy. Here, Preissler presents Venus, the Roman goddess of love, in a tender moment with her son Cupid. Venus’s pale, supple, nude body is juxtaposed with the figure of her son who she lifts into the tree. Cupid, often depicted as mischievous, is here represented as an innocent child. We witness a mother’s love, perhaps a universal image, yet made specific by its classical trappings. The print reflects the cultural values of its time, particularly the emphasis on beauty and idealized love. But looking at it now, we might ask what does it mean to represent love and beauty through the lens of mythology and idealized forms? What stories or people are left out of this vision? The emotional resonance of this artwork lies in its ability to evoke both a sense of timeless beauty and a longing for an idealized world.