Venus and Cupid
n.d.
Medium
Pen and brown ink with traces of black chalk, on ivory laid paper, laid down on ivory laid paper
Dimensions
10.3 × 10.2 cm (4 1/16 × 4 1/16 in.)
Classification
pen and ink drawings
Department
Prints and Drawings
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
85062
Art Historical Context
Andrea Lilio's *Venus and Cupid* is a delicate pen and brown ink drawing from the late 16th century, the tender embrace of the Roman goddess of love and her mischievous son in a compact 4-by-4-inch. Lilio, an artist active in Rome during the Mannerist period, often explored mythological themes in his preparatory sketches blending graceful figures with intricate line work influenced by masters like Raphael and Correggio. This undated study exemplifies the era's fascination with classical antiquity, where Venus and Cupid symbolized beauty, desire, and maternal affection. Crafted on ivory laid p...