Venus en Amor 1701

This drawing, created by Jan Claudius de Cock in 1701, portrays Venus and Cupid, the Roman goddess of love and her son. De Cock, a Flemish artist active in the late 17th and early 18th centuries, expertly captures the delicate relationship between the two figures. Venus, seated on a pedestal, reaches out to Cupid who appears to be flying towards her with a bird in his hand. The drawing is executed in delicate lines and has a slightly unfinished feel, hinting at a preliminary sketch for a larger work. The oval format of the drawing is reminiscent of decorative arts and may suggest a design for a tapestry or a print.