Cupids after 1788

Editor: This is "Cupids" by Gilles Demarteau from the Harvard Art Museums. It's a drawing featuring two cherubic figures adorned with grapes. What recurring symbols or motifs strike you in this piece? Curator: The grapes immediately evoke Dionysus, the god of wine, ecstasy, and fertility. They suggest themes of abundance and the intoxicating power of love. Notice how the cherubs' rounded forms convey innocence, but their association with grapes hints at a more complex, sensual understanding of desire. What feelings does that tension evoke for you? Editor: It's a fascinating contrast! It makes me think about the transition from innocence to experience and how love and desire are depicted across different ages. Curator: Precisely. By looking at how Demarteau uses enduring symbols like the grape, we can glean deeper insight into the cultural memory of love. Editor: That’s a perspective I hadn’t considered. Thanks!