Venus en Mars door Apollo ontdekt 1607

This engraving of 'Venus and Mars Discovered by Apollo' was created by Jacob Matham around 1607 in the Netherlands. It shows the moment when the sun god Apollo catches Venus, the goddess of love, in bed with Mars, the god of war. Images such as this one had a public role at the time; prints like this circulated widely and were collected in albums. Artists like Matham drew on classical mythology to explore themes of love, desire, and betrayal, offering commentary on the social mores of the time. The artist is, in effect, examining the politics of imagery. What can be shown, who is allowed to look? Is it a celebration of sensuality, or a condemnation of infidelity? To understand this image better, we can examine the rich intellectual environment of the Dutch Republic in the early 17th century. We could look at emblem books, classical literature, and contemporary social histories. By combining these resources, we can better understand this artwork's social and institutional context.