Three Goddesses: Venus and Cupid

A semi-nude Venus is shown in a dynamic Mannerist pose, wearing an ornate jeweled belt and holding the golden apple of discord. Cupid reclines in the foreground clutching his bow, while two doves, the traditional birds of the goddess, appear in the cloudy sky behind her. The image is characterized by the swirling, rhythmic line work typical of late 16th-century Dutch engraving.

Venus serves as a central archetype in Renaissance Neoplatonism, representing the attraction of the soul toward divine beauty as discussed in Marsilio Ficino’s commentaries. This print belongs to a series exploring the classical mysteries of the planetary deities and their influence over the human psyche.