Venus Reclining on a Bed in Vulcan's Forge c. 1630 - 1650

Pietro del Po created this print, “Venus Reclining on a Bed in Vulcan's Forge,” during the Baroque period. Here we see Venus, the goddess of love and beauty, in a rather unusual domestic scene. In classical mythology, Venus was married to Vulcan, the god of fire and metalworking. The story goes that Venus had an affair with Mars, the god of war. The image shows Vulcan surprising Venus and exposing her infidelity. Venus is caught in a vulnerable, almost melancholic pose while Vulcan is presented as a tradesman focused on labor. Cupid, the god of desire, assists Vulcan in his forge. Del Po's print reflects the patriarchal norms of the 17th century, where female beauty and sexuality were often juxtaposed with themes of infidelity and punishment. This piece asks us to consider how power, desire, and betrayal intersect within the private lives of gods, reflecting the complex social expectations placed upon women in Baroque society.