Venus and Adonis
c. 1628-29
In this dramatic Baroque scene, the goddess of love, Venus, is desperately clinging to her mortal lover Adonis, trying to stop him from going hunting. She knows a prophecy warns that hunting dangerous beasts will lead to his death, but Adonis looks ready to grab his spear and leave anyway. Around them, chubby little cupids play innocently with a golden chariot and doves, completely oblivious to the impending tragedy, while a hunting dog sits patiently in the foreground, eager for the chase. It's a heartbreaking moment of foreshadowing, capturing the last peaceful moments before Adonis meets his fatal end by a wild boar.
- Technique
- Oil on canvas
- Material
- Canvas
- Dimensions
- 155.3 cm × 201.9 cm
Location: J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles
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