Venus and Cupid 1528

Lucas van Leyden created this engraving, Venus and Cupid, in 1528. The print depicts the Roman goddess of love, alongside her son Cupid, floating on a bed of clouds. Classical subjects became increasingly popular in the 16th century as part of the broader Renaissance movement. It's important to remember that the rise of classical imagery occurred alongside a changing religious landscape as the Protestant Reformation gained momentum. In northern Europe, where van Leyden was based, artists navigated the complexities of religious reform. Was the artist sympathetic to reformers' concerns about sensual depictions? Or did he ignore them by producing an alluring nude? This image, with its use of classical imagery, would have been accessible to a learned elite who were educated in classical literature. Examining period documents like religious pamphlets and records of civic debates can help to interpret the meanings and purposes that art served in its day.