Amors pile smedes 1743 - 1809

"Amors pile smedes" (Cupid's Forge), a pen and ink drawing by Danish artist Nicolai Abildgaard (1743-1809), depicts Cupid, the Roman god of love, in a blacksmith's workshop. This is a detailed, masterful sketch of the Roman deity as he works. The scene is reminiscent of traditional blacksmithing imagery, with a forge and an anvil, but with a playful twist as Cupid's presence suggests a more lighthearted theme. This sketch is housed in the SMK - Statens Museum for Kunst (the National Gallery of Denmark).