Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History



  • Cupid on a Lion, ca. 1675–90
    Mattheus van Beveren (Flemish, ca. 1630–1690)
    Flemish
    Ivory, ebony base

    H. of statuette 8 5/8 in. (21.9 cm), H. of base 4 1/2 in. (10.4 cm)
    Purchase, Gift of Ogden Mills and Irwin Untermyer, by exchange, 1980 (1980.220)

    The winged Cupid subduing a ferocious lion embodies the notion that "love conquers all," drawn from Ovid and Virgil. In van Beveren's realization of this popular artistic theme, love is represented as a putto, or winged infant. The portrayal of Cupid as a chubby child dates to the Renaissance, as does the virtually indistinguishable imagery of infant angels in the sacred context of the same artist's Lamentation (64.164.242).

    Related


    Not on view
    MoveSeparatorPrint
    Close
    Cupid on a Lion, ca. 1675–90
    Mattheus van Beveren (Flemish, ca. 1630–1690)
    Flemish
    Ivory, ebony base

    H. of statuette 8 5/8 in. (21.9 cm), H. of base 4 1/2 in. (10.4 cm)
    Purchase, Gift of Ogden Mills and Irwin Untermyer, by exchange, 1980 (1980.220)


    Move
    Close
    fullMultimediaText