Venus admonishing Cupid
Tapestry
1555-1565 (designed)
1555-1565 (designed)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This tapestry probably belonged to a set of sixteen, though some are now untraceable. The subject is Venus admonishing Cupid, from the story of Cupid and Psyche, as related by the Latin author Lucius Apuleius in the Golden Ass. The V&A has two other tapestries from the set: Venus seeking vengeance on Psyche and Psyche's Punishment in Venus's Service. The story was a favourite pictorial theme during the Renaissance.
The tapestry shows Venus reproaching her son, Cupid, for his affair with Psyche. The Goddess is seen entering from the left gesturing forcefully in an accusatory fashion, her billowing drapery accentuating the dynamism of her pose. In contrast, Cupid reclines on a bed with a chastised expression, his hand over his heart and his bow and quiver laid aside.
The design for this tapestry, executed by Giovanni Battista Castello (1509-1569), and in the National Galleries of Scotland, shows Venus in a greater state of undress, indicating that when the tapestry came to be woven, the composition was altered to allow an extra fold of fabric to cover her form, resulting in a more modest display.
The tapestry shows Venus reproaching her son, Cupid, for his affair with Psyche. The Goddess is seen entering from the left gesturing forcefully in an accusatory fashion, her billowing drapery accentuating the dynamism of her pose. In contrast, Cupid reclines on a bed with a chastised expression, his hand over his heart and his bow and quiver laid aside.
The design for this tapestry, executed by Giovanni Battista Castello (1509-1569), and in the National Galleries of Scotland, shows Venus in a greater state of undress, indicating that when the tapestry came to be woven, the composition was altered to allow an extra fold of fabric to cover her form, resulting in a more modest display.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | Venus admonishing Cupid (popular title) |
| Materials and techniques | Tapestry woven in wool and silk |
| Brief description | Tapestry, 'Venus admonishing Cupid', designed by Giovanni Battista Castello, probably Brussels, 1555-65 |
| Physical description | wool and silk on a wool warp:18-20 warps to the inch. |
| Dimensions |
|
| Credit line | Given by Dowager Viscountess Harcourt GBE |
| Object history | This tapestry was given to the museum along with several other tapestries, T.767 - T.775-1950, by the Dowager Viscountess Harcourt, G.B.E. (R.P.: 50/2906). The tapestry and two others from the same series, which are also in the museum's collection, originally came from a set of approximately sixteen tapestries. They used to hang in room 21. |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Literary reference | Apuleius, Lucius, <i>Golden Ass</i> |
| Summary | This tapestry probably belonged to a set of sixteen, though some are now untraceable. The subject is Venus admonishing Cupid, from the story of Cupid and Psyche, as related by the Latin author Lucius Apuleius in the Golden Ass. The V&A has two other tapestries from the set: Venus seeking vengeance on Psyche and Psyche's Punishment in Venus's Service. The story was a favourite pictorial theme during the Renaissance. The tapestry shows Venus reproaching her son, Cupid, for his affair with Psyche. The Goddess is seen entering from the left gesturing forcefully in an accusatory fashion, her billowing drapery accentuating the dynamism of her pose. In contrast, Cupid reclines on a bed with a chastised expression, his hand over his heart and his bow and quiver laid aside. The design for this tapestry, executed by Giovanni Battista Castello (1509-1569), and in the National Galleries of Scotland, shows Venus in a greater state of undress, indicating that when the tapestry came to be woven, the composition was altered to allow an extra fold of fabric to cover her form, resulting in a more modest display. |
| Associated objects |
|
| Bibliographic references |
|
| Collection | |
| Accession number | T.770-1950 |
About this object record
Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.
You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.
Suggest feedback
You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.
Suggest feedback
| Record created | May 16, 2006 |
| Record URL |
Download as: JSONIIIF Manifest
