Cupid Chastised
1613
Mars, the god of war, is literally tying up love in this dramatic Baroque scene by Bartolomeo Manfredi. The blindfolded Cupid squirms as Mars binds his hands, while Venus watches closely—perhaps she's tired of her son's mischief causing chaos among the gods. Manfredi was a die-hard follower of Caravaggio, and you can see that influence in the intense lighting that makes the red drapery and pale skin glow against the dark background. The scattered helmet and arrows on the ground hint that the weapons of war and love have been temporarily disarmed in this domestic divine dispute.
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