The Worship of Cupid 1770 - 1795

Editor: Here we have "The Worship of Cupid" by Jean-Baptiste Huet I, made somewhere between 1770 and 1795. It appears to be a textile work, maybe a tapestry? It's framed ornately. I get a very dreamy, romantic feeling from the piece. What do you see in it? Curator: Beyond its Rococo charm, I see a layering of symbols that speak to a specific understanding of love during that period. Note Cupid, poised to strike. In our collective visual memory, we understand him. Why "worship", though? It elevates romantic love almost to a religious experience, doesn't it? Editor: Yes, it does! Especially with the figure in the flowing dress offering what looks like a floral wreath. Curator: Exactly. Think about the wreaths' associations with ritual offerings in earlier pagan traditions. The artist is consciously drawing a parallel. The dog, nestled nearby, also functions symbolically – representing fidelity, further enriching the cultural script. Huet invites us to consider, perhaps, the cultural expectations projected onto courtship. How durable were they then? Editor: So it is about idealized love rather than a specific story, making it allegorical? Curator: Precisely. Allegory works with universally recognized visual languages. Huet masterfully uses this, tapping into our pre-existing understanding of love’s symbols: roses, the mischievous Cupid, and canine devotion. What might a contemporary artist use as symbols today, I wonder? Editor: That's an interesting thought. Maybe emojis? I see so much more looking closely! Curator: Art opens us to deeper inquiries – ones about memory, society and our shifting visual world. I’m glad to have shared this viewing with you.