Cupid sharpening his bow 1645 - 1672

This drawing, "Cupid Sharpening His Bow," by Flemish artist Franciscus Van Den Steen depicts a winged Cupid, the Roman god of love, sharpening his arrow on a stone. The composition is a detailed study of the human form, with the figure of Cupid dominating the composition. The drawing, executed in black chalk and heightened with white, demonstrates the artist's mastery of light and shadow. The figure of Cupid stands on a collection of books, suggesting that knowledge is often coupled with love. The drawing, created between 1645 and 1672, is now part of the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.