Venus og Amor. Skulpturgruppe set forfra 1628 - 1630

Willem Panneels made this red chalk drawing of Venus and Cupid in the first half of the 17th century. The goddess Venus, nude, is rendered in the classical style while her son Cupid clings to her leg. But note the tension between this classical subject and the robust style of the drawing. Panneels was Flemish, and his figures often reflect a Northern European sensibility, less concerned with idealization than Italian art. It is important to remember that Panneels, like many artists of his time, was deeply connected to a workshop and a system of artistic training. The purpose of this drawing was not necessarily to display in a gallery. It may have been produced as a study for use in a larger painting or as an exercise to demonstrate skill and understanding of classical forms. Art historians can learn more about Panneels and his artistic and cultural context through archival research and the study of workshop practices. These approaches reveal how artists are embedded in broader social structures.