Two Cupids 1514 - 1536

Agostino Veneziano created this engraving, "Two Cupids," in the early 16th century, a dance of symbols before our very eyes. The cupids, classical figures of love, are caught in an act of playful violence. One wrings water—or is it tears?—from the hair of the other, a shell catching the flow. The shell, an ancient symbol, once represented pilgrimage and rebirth; now it cradles what seems like a forced baptism. Consider, in Botticelli’s "Birth of Venus," the goddess rises from a shell, reborn. Yet here, in Veneziano’s vision, the shell collects not the essence of new life but perhaps the sting of love's trials. The motif of the struggling figures reminds us of ancient depictions of wrestling or battle, motifs of power. But here, the power dynamic is complicated by their cherubic forms. This juxtaposition—innocence and aggression—reveals how deeply human experiences of love and conflict are intertwined, echoing through time, constantly reshaped. The image doesn't resolve, but resonates, inviting us to reflect on love’s bittersweet dance.