Mars and Venus in Bed

A line engraving showing the nude figures of Mars and Venus engaged in sexual intercourse. Venus is positioned on top, facing Mars, who lies on his back with his head on a pillow; they are entwined in a kiss. The scene takes place on a draped bed under a heavy canopy. To the bottom left, pieces of Mars's armor, including a breastplate and helmet, lie discarded on the floor, contrasting his martial role with the intimacy of the scene.

This scene draws upon the classical myth of the adulterous affair between the god of war and the goddess of love, a frequent subject in art to illustrate the reconciliation of opposing forces (Concordia). It refers to the narrative found in Ovid's 'Metamorphoses' and Homer's 'Odyssey'.