Venus and Adonis
Statuette
ca. 1640 (made)
ca. 1640 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Bronzes often exist in a number of versions, made over many decades or even centuries. This is achieved through a variety of means, such as changes in the wax, new moulds taken from an existing bronze or the reuse of the existing model.This statuette of Venus, the Roman goddess of love and fertility, restraining the beautiful youth Adonis and (inv.no. A.118-1910) were probably cast from the same moulds. Fanelli varied the composition of his small bronzes by making changes to the wax. There are a number of small differences between these two groups, particularly in the dogs on the left and the slain boars on the right.
Venus, the Roman goddess of Love and Fertility and mother of Cupid, fell in love with Adonis after being accidentially grazed Cupid's arrow. Adonis was killed by a wild boar while out hunting and is usually shown with his hounds and prey.
Venus, the Roman goddess of Love and Fertility and mother of Cupid, fell in love with Adonis after being accidentially grazed Cupid's arrow. Adonis was killed by a wild boar while out hunting and is usually shown with his hounds and prey.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | Venus and Adonis (generic title) |
| Materials and techniques | Bronze |
| Brief description | Statuette, bronze, Venus and Adonis, workshop of Francesco Fanelli (active 1609-1665), Anglo-Italian, ca. 1640 |
| Physical description | Venus, semi-nude and seated on a tree-trunk (?), grasps Adonis, dressed in hunting gear with two hounds, around the waist and gazes up at him lovingly. |
| Dimensions |
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| Credit line | Bequeathed by Dr W. L. Hildburgh FSA |
| Object history | Given by Dr. W. L. Hildburgh, F. S. A., 1956. |
| Historical context | A version of this composition was among the small-scale sculpture placed on the window sills of the throne room at Whitehall in the 1640s. |
| Production | Anglo-Italian |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Summary | Bronzes often exist in a number of versions, made over many decades or even centuries. This is achieved through a variety of means, such as changes in the wax, new moulds taken from an existing bronze or the reuse of the existing model.This statuette of Venus, the Roman goddess of love and fertility, restraining the beautiful youth Adonis and (inv.no. A.118-1910) were probably cast from the same moulds. Fanelli varied the composition of his small bronzes by making changes to the wax. There are a number of small differences between these two groups, particularly in the dogs on the left and the slain boars on the right. Venus, the Roman goddess of Love and Fertility and mother of Cupid, fell in love with Adonis after being accidentially grazed Cupid's arrow. Adonis was killed by a wild boar while out hunting and is usually shown with his hounds and prey. |
| Bibliographic references |
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| Collection | |
| Accession number | A.58-1956 |
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| Record created | January 15, 2004 |
| Record URL |
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