In this bronze, Venus is embraced by Adonis, with whom she falls in love after being accidentally wounded by one of Cupid's arrows. This love would then arouse the jealousy of Mars, who, once transformed into a boar, would kill Adonis during a hunt. Venus, holding her lover, tries to dissuade Adonis, accompanied by his faithful dog, from going hunting, warning him of the ferocious beasts he might encounter.
In the past, some versions of this group have appeared at auction as 'Atalanta and Meleager' or 'Diana and Actaeon'. However, as is often seen in both paintings and sculptures, this composition is typical of the representation of Venus and Adonis.

There are many versions of this bronze. One of these, now in the British Museum (SLMisc.168), was acquired by Sir Hans Sloane (1660-1753) at the end of the 17th century and was at the time considered to be by Francois Duquesnoy, a suggestion that was later overturned. Bode had included it among the Italian sculptures of the 16th century. The correct attribution to Francesco Fanelli comes from several auction catalogues (Sotheby’s London, 26 April 1988, lot. 151 and Sotheby’s New York 31 January 1997) and is confirmed by the composition with the seated figure of Venus, which is similar in other Fanelli bronzes, as well as the way certain details, such as the hair, are worked in the wax model that served to cast the bronze. Furthermore, some elements, such as Adonis's boots, the dog or the boar at the bottom, are found in other of his bronzes, such as the bronze of Adonis seated (A.117-1910). There are no bronzes of this subject documented by Fanelli, but a 'certaine little brazen statue being Adonis Venus & Cupid sett upon a black wooden peddistall' was recorded in the Chair Room at Whitehall Palace around 1640, in the same inventory in which other Fanelli bronzes were named. There are many variations of this bronze, most of them passed through auctions or private collections; the V&A has three (the others are A.118-1910 and A.96-1956). No version is exactly the same: sometimes Adonis has a hat, sometimes not, sometimes the shape of the base changes. In this group, for example, the figures are on a rectangular base that appears to be a simplification of the more elaborate A.96-1956 base. This version is not of the highest quality, there are some very small casting imperfections, and the chiseling is not very detailed. This may suggest that it is a work derived from Francesco Fanelli's models, but not cast and finished by him personally.
The various version of this group are all derived from the same composition, but show variations, making each of them a unique cast. This practice is typical of the bronzes coming from the workshop of Francesco Fanelli who specialized in small bronzes made as collectable items. Like most sculptors of his time, Fanelli used the indirect lost wax technique for casting his bronzes which allowed him to keep the original model and to create replicas. However, these were never identical to another, and each had its own characteristics.
Francesco Fanelli was an Italian sculptor born in Florence on 17 December 1577. In the early years of the 17th century, he was in Genoa where he executed bronzes as well as large-scale marble sculptures, most probably with the assistance of his sons who pursued the same career as their father. Moving to England in 1632, Francesco became court sculptor to Charles I and worked for several private English patrons, among them the Duke of Newcastle. He was last recorded in 1641.
Small bronzes of different subjects were collected in Europe from the early Renaissance. Those collected in 17th century Britain were almost all secular subjects and mainly related to mythology themes. Arranged on shelves, consoles or tables, these small bronzes were displayed in the collectors' studios, rooms or galleries containing other works of art, such as paintings, sculptures or cabinets. Depending on the subject and size of the bronzes, collectors were delighted to view them from different perspectives, often admiring their shine when bathed in light.
In addition to King Charles I and the Duke of Newcastle, Fanelli received other commissions from wealthy people, even if only few are recorded in the documents. Fanelli’s bronzes had a long lasting legacy. Despite the absence of information, it is believed that he bequeathed his models to his workshop as hundreds of bronzes made from those models were likely cast after his death and lack the refinement of those made by Fanelli himself.
In the 18th century, collectors' interest in bronzes was supplemented by their taste for porcelain. Some of Fanelli's models were then translated into this material, sometimes even polychromed.