Loves of the Gods 1515 - 1565

Giovanni Jacopo Caraglio created this engraving, "Loves of the Gods", sometime in the 16th century. In this piece, Caraglio depicts Venus grieving over the body of Adonis, observed by Cupid. Engravings like this one circulated widely during the Renaissance, and although the artist’s intention is unknown, the image speaks to the period’s fascination with classical mythology, and the gendered expectations of love, loss, and mourning. Caraglio challenges the traditional role of women by showing Venus in a position of power as she mourns Adonis. The overt sensuality of this image also tells us something about the expectations around male and female bodies at the time. During the Renaissance, classical art was considered the gold standard, and it dictated the representation of the body in art. Yet, the piece is deeply intimate, asking us to reflect on the experience of love and the pain of loss.