Apollo standing a beside a woman representing an allegory of painting, from "The Loves of the Gods" 1531 - 1560

Giulio Bonasone created this engraving, “Apollo standing beside a woman representing an allegory of painting”, sometime in the 16th century. It is part of a series of engravings called "The Loves of the Gods." The print shows the nude goddess painting, likely helped by the god Apollo, who holds a mallet and chisel. Art in 16th-century Italy was tied to ideas about skill and artistry. The print shows that it was thought to be divinely inspired. The visual codes reference the art academies which developed in the 16th century. In these institutions, the naked human body was studied to achieve an ideal form. The nude figures here reflect this. The profession of the artist was also developing during this time and asserting itself as an intellectual and creative pursuit. The way the goddess creates art represents this claim to cultural power. To fully understand the work it's important to look at period documents such as artists’ biographies, guild records, and inventories. These can illuminate the place of art and artists in Renaissance society. The meaning of art is always bound to the social conditions of its making.