Venus with Three Cherubs

Oil on canvas

59 x 206 cm.

In an antique frame (with imperfections) 70 x 218 cm.

A reclining Venus, captured in a sinuous and languid pose that highlights her naked body, yet portrayed with an elegant and composed sensuality: this is the subject of this beautiful allegory of Love.

Flanking the goddess, as is traditional in classical and Renaissance iconography, are three playful cherubs, symbolising love in all its three facets: heavenly (spiritual) love, earthly (passionate) love and love linked to physical beauty.

The figures, with measured gestures and harmonious poses, express an ideal of balance, representing the union between ideal beauty, the fertility of nature and innocence. The three cherubs, playful yet irreverent at the same time, depict the impulses and manifestations of amorous affection.

The painting features a subject typical of the artistic output of the 17th-century Venetian school of painting, inspired by the Baroque works of Pietro Liberi (1605–1687) and characterised by the naturalistic and chiaroscuro tones peculiar to the ‘tenebrosa’ movement, which drew on the Caravaggesque tradition of the early 17th century.

The pictorial and stylistic characteristics of the painting suggest that it is the work of Federico Cervelli (Milan, c. 1638 – Venice, after 1694), a leading figure of 17th-century Venetian Baroque, highly regarded by the aristocracy and having received numerous commissions from the Medici court.

Cervelli, with his loose and rapid brushwork and his use of colour rendered in light, vibrant pigments, stands out as one of the key transitional figures between the solemnity of the seventeenth century and the luminous lightness of eighteenth-century Rococo.

In contrast to the more rigid classical tradition, Cervelli introduces a playful and mischievous tone, which we can see here in the lively, almost caricatured expressions of the three cherubs, who, in order to attract Venus’s attention, are playfully teasing one another, transforming the subject into a dynamic and engaging scene.

The theme of cherubs playfully interacting with Venus is a recurring feature in Federico Cervelli’s work, and his ability to ‘lighten’ mythological themes with satirical verve and Venetian grace thus establishes him as a key figure in guiding Venetian Baroque painting into the 18th century.

As we see in other very similar compositions by the artist, the sinuous pose of the nude Venus is characterised by a very understated sensuality, reminiscent of classical statuary, which was typically appreciated by patrons of this period.

The painting is complemented by a beautiful antique frame.

In good condition, with evidence of restoration to the canvas and frame

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

The work is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity and a descriptive iconographic sheet.

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It is also possible to view the painting at our gallery in Riva del Garda; we would be delighted to welcome you and show you our collection of works.

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