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Venus and Cupid

Statuette
ca. 1625 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

This statuette represents Venus and Cupid and is by Hubert le Sueur.

Venus the Roman goddess of love and fertility, was the mother of Cupid, the god of Love.

Hubert Le Sueur (ca. 1590 - after 1658) was the son of a master armourer in Paris, where he became established as a court artist. He was appointed as one of the sculptors to Louis XIII in January 1614. In 1625 he was sent to England to work at the court of Charles I, shortly after the King's marriage to Louis' sister, Henrietta Maria. The use of marble is unique for Le Sueur's portrait busts, as he specialised primarily in bronze. His impressive equestrian bronze portrait of Charles I now in Trafalgar Square is signed and dated 1633.

Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleVenus and Cupid (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Bronze
Brief description
Statuette, bronze, Venus and Cupid, by Hubert le Sueur, Anglo-French, ca. 1625
Physical description
This statuette shows Venus standing naked after bathing, resting her left foot on a tree-trunk and drying it with the end of a long towel, the other end of which she holds with her right hand at her shoulder. The tiny figure of Cupid kneels beside her on his right knee, his hands clasped as if in supplication. Irregular round base.
Dimensions
  • Height: 36cm
  • Weight: 5.4kg
Object history
From the Salting bequest.
Production
Anglo-Frech. Formerly ascribed to Bandini.
Subjects depicted
Summary
This statuette represents Venus and Cupid and is by Hubert le Sueur.

Venus the Roman goddess of love and fertility, was the mother of Cupid, the god of Love.

Hubert Le Sueur (ca. 1590 - after 1658) was the son of a master armourer in Paris, where he became established as a court artist. He was appointed as one of the sculptors to Louis XIII in January 1614. In 1625 he was sent to England to work at the court of Charles I, shortly after the King's marriage to Louis' sister, Henrietta Maria. The use of marble is unique for Le Sueur's portrait busts, as he specialised primarily in bronze. His impressive equestrian bronze portrait of Charles I now in Trafalgar Square is signed and dated 1633.
Bibliographic reference
'Salting Bequest (A. 70 to A. 1029-1910) / Murray Bequest (A. 1030 to A. 1096-1910)'. In: List of Works of Art Acquired by the Victoria and Albert Museum (Department of Architecture and Sculpture). London: Printed under the Authority of his Majesty's Stationery Office, by Eyre and Spottiswoode, Limited, East Harding Street, EC, p. 15
Collection
Accession number
A.155-1910

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Record createdJune 24, 2009
Record URL
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