Drie amors 1634 - 1679

Nicolas Pierre Loir’s engraving presents three cherubic figures amidst clouds, embodiments of ‘amor,’ or love. The most prominent figure holds what seems to be a heart, while another wields an arrow, symbols deeply rooted in the classical tradition of Cupid, the god of love. These cherubs are not merely representations of love, but vessels of a primal force. We see echoes of this motif across time, from ancient Roman frescoes to Renaissance paintings, each iteration imbued with the cultural and emotional nuances of its era. The arrow, for instance, can be traced back to ancient Greece, where Eros used it to incite both love and desire. Over time, the image of Cupid, a mischievous child armed with arrows, has become a cultural shorthand for the often irrational, impulsive nature of love. This image, though seemingly simple, touches upon the collective memory of human experience. It reminds us that love, in its many forms, remains a potent, sometimes uncontrollable force that binds us across time and space.