Rede houdt Amor in bedwang 1774 - 1799

"Rede houdt Amor in bedwang" (Reason Holds Cupid in Check), an engraving by Jacques Louis Copia, depicts the struggle between reason and love, a popular theme in Neoclassical art. A woman, representing reason, sits calmly while a winged Cupid, symbolizing love, is restrained by a chain. The artwork reflects the intellectual and moral values of the Enlightenment, where reason was celebrated as a guide to a better world. This work, created between 1774 and 1799, showcases Copia's mastery of engraving, highlighting the dramatic interplay between the figures and their symbolic significance.