Cupid Blinded by Love 19th-20th century

Curator: This sketch, "Cupid Blinded by Love," is by Frank Samuel Eastman and resides here at the Harvard Art Museums. It's quite small, only about 29 centimeters tall. Editor: It feels unfinished, raw—almost like a fleeting thought captured in ochre and blue. There's a vulnerability in the sketchiness that really grabs me. Curator: The title offers such irony given the positioning of Cupid, and the obscuring cloth gives pause to question the notion of love and its impact. Editor: Definitely. It's fascinating how Eastman uses these pastel colors and loose lines to explore the themes of vulnerability and blindness, literally and metaphorically. It makes you wonder what kind of social commentary he was aiming for with this piece. Curator: I love how something so seemingly slight can hold so much emotional weight. Editor: Absolutely. It’s a potent reminder that art, even in its most preliminary form, can be a powerful mirror reflecting our own experiences and insights.