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29 Mars, Venus and Cupid

Inspired by ancient art, the reclining Venus was a subject frequently explored by Titian and other sixteenth-century Venetian painters. In this work, Venus reclines on a sumptuous bed, while her lover Mars, the god of war, approaches in the background from the right. At her feet, Cupid aims his arrow of desire at two doves. The artist, Lambert Sustris, was born in Amsterdam, but moved to Italy, where he honed his abilities and worked in the studio of Venetian master Titian. While Titian’s influence is visible in Sustris’ use of color, the somewhat elongated figure of Venus differs from that of Titian.